Test Tube Baby
by nuttier-than-an-almond
Summary: Danny had always known his father to be Jack Fenton. there was never any doubt that this was his dad... Until he was told otherwise. And how is he supposed to react when he finds out who it really is? And what madness will ensue? R&R
1. The Bad News

A note fromt he author:

Hello every one! I know it has been a very long timje since I posted anything. Probably long enough to declare this account legally dead! Hahaha! But I am back and I'm starting fresh. Hopefully I will actually stick with this and see it through till the end of the story. the problem with my last stories was that I would start one and then something would come up, I'd get distracted for a few weeks then never touch it again... ever.

But hopefully I will change that and do this story with better writing and less typos (God help me). This Idea was brought to life by the FANTASTIC writing in the story Grandpappy Walker by TwiLyght Sans Sparkles! I advise you to check it out! It's fantastic. As I was reading I started thinking "You know... Probably the only guys Danny would hate being related to more than Walker would probably be Vlad, Pariah Dark and Technus. But since so many people have done different versions of the first two I decided to go with the last one. And a plot bunny took off in my brain.

This story will take place 3ish years after PP. Just before Danny turns 18. I havent changed the story line at all leading up to this point. Everythiong that happened in the show has happened, and all the characters are what they were last time we saw them. No one is suddenly paired up with any one they weren't before and no one is suddenly Danny's friend. (not that I have a problemm with the stories like that at all). And the best part about this story? NONE OF MY OCS! Can you believe it? I'm going to write a story without the use of an original character. I'll save that for my other Idea. I wont give it away but I will toss the idea of the Mother Nature ghost out there for you all to mull over. Heheh.

Without further adieu. Here is my story that I own none of the characters in. :)

Test Tube Baby

Chapter one,

Danny was almost 18 and his life just seemed to be surrounded around one thing. Being Danny Phantom. Sure, he had felt better letting his family know his secret and getting the load off of his chest but now he hadn't a single moment to himself. If he wernt off shoving the Box Ghost in the Fenton Thermos he was being hounded by reporters asking him why he lied to the town for the better part of maybe 2 years.

He had no answer for them.

He was a lot of things, but a liar was something he didnt like to be called. Even if he was one a lot of the time. He didnt want to hid his secret froom the world but what other choice did he have? He was half ghost for crying out loud! The first thing people do when approached with things they didnt understand was panic. He probably would have been hunted and turned full ghost if anyone knew. That is, before he saved the world... People tended to like him more after that.

Hero or not he was still torn between two worlds. The life of Danny Fenton, High School student and Danny Phantom, Halfa Hero.

Halfa...

There was soemthing about the word Danny never liked. It just seemed to point out the one thing he didnt like about being half ghost. He was only HALF ghost and HALF human. It was a strength and a weakness for him. True he could be unstoppable in the human world and un touchable in the ghost zone but he would never be accepted by both. The ghosts hated his guts and many humans were disgusted by the idea of having ghost DNA. But then again most humans were disgusted by the fact that he had FENTON DNA...

Danny flew home from school directly after getting a call from his mother. Apparently there was something very important that they had to discuss with him. She sounded like a wreck on the phone so he knew that it had to be big. Almost nothing could shake his mom like that. She was like a brick wall... While his dad was like a queen sized matress... Big and squishy.

He waved goodbye to Same and Tucker and raced to his house as fast as he could after recieving the call. He knew his parents hated him using ghost powers in the house so he transformed back to human form and opened the front door in a hurry.

"I'm home!" He announced, not seeing his family in the living room.

"We're down in the lab sweety!" HIs mom called from just past the kitchen.

Danny hustled down the stairs to find his parents and jazz sitting down there, drinking tea and looking through a manilla folder.

"What's going on?" Danny couldnt help but ask. He knew he'd have it explained to him if he asked or not.

"Sit down Danny." Jack told him quietly, "This may be a little hard for you to handle."

Daniel eyed them all curiously before sitting in the only empty chair in the room. All of their faces were conflicted and/or sad. He couldnt begin to figure why.

"Danny, honey," His mom started slowly, "We havnt been completely honest with you over the last 17 years... Not because we didnt want to be but because we wanted to be a family. We were afraid that if you knew it would put a wedge between you and Jack."

"What are you talking about?" Danny asked, worry starting to grow in the pit of his gut.

"The best way to explain this is to start from the beginning..." Danny opened his mouth to speack but his mothers raised hand silenced him, "Wait till I'm done before you speak. I want to make sure you understand before you say anything."

The boy nodded and leaned back in his chair, waiting for his mother to continue.

Maddie inhaled deeply to calm herself before starting, what Danny assumed was a long story.

"After Jazz was born me and your father sat down and had a discussion. We loved the child we had but we really wanted a boy too. So we waited until she was a few years older and we tried again.. Unfortunately there was a little hitch in the plan," Maddie explained, "You see, as inventors, Jack and I are constantly exposed to radiation and dangerous chemicals. And since I was almost always busy taking care of Jazz, Jack was alone most of the time to work on the inventions. This gave him more exposure to the radiation than me."

Danny was wondering where this was going as his mother continued.

"We tried for another year before we figured out that something was definately wrong. We went and took fertility tests and found out that Jacks sperm count was extremely low." Danny cringed at hearing about his dad's... sperm... Maddie ignored the motion and kept going, "We were devasted. We had promised Jasmine a little brother and we couldnt have one. Jack was heartbroken over it for months."

Danny was really starting to not like this story. But honoring his mothers wishes he didnt say anything.

"But one day I heard about these Sperm Banks that were being opened around the country and saw it as a perfect oportunity," His Mom told him with a half hearted smile, "I could have a baby! It took lots of convincing on my part but Jack finally decided that he was willing to go out on that limb and give it a shot. We spent months going through their files to find a donor we liked. There were athletes, doctors, regular joes... Eventually we found a decent donor with a history of achievments in inventing and technology. It seemed perfect for out family. He had no diseases, no mental problems, his looks weren't stellar but we didnt care if you looked like Brad Pitt or not. We would love you either way... Eventually we went to the clinic and, well, made you."  
>Danny was frozen in his chair... She wasnt saying what he thought she was saying...<p>

"We would have told you sooner but we all knew how you probably would have taken it. But now that you've matured we thought it was time we told you. Especially since you will be heading off into the world soon. " Maddie reached over and put a comforting hand on his knee, "I understand if you're angry at us for not telling you sooner and waiting till now to do it. We just didnt want to send you out there not knowing where you come from."

Danny started in total shock at his mother, "I'm a test tube baby?..."

Maddie nodded once, "Something like that. But I assure you Danny I am your mother. I carried you and gave birth to you. And Jack may not have made you but he was always there for you more than I could have ever hoped for. We both did our best to be close to you and make you happy so that when we did tell you, you wouldnt think we were only taking care of you because we had to. We love you."

Danny breathed deeply and slowly stood. His eyes landed on the manilla folder and he stared at it. The information on the donor was in there... His biological father's identity...

The halfa backed up a few steps in silence. He didnt know what to think. They had lied to him his whole life?... That couldnt be true! It wasnt true!

Tears stung his eyes as he trand formed into ghost mode and flew up through the cieling quickly. He heard his mother shout after him but he didnt listen. He flew through the second story floor and into his room. He locked the door and fell to the floor. He pulled his knees up to his face and leaned his forehead on them.

It wasnt true! Jack Fenton was his dad. He always would be.


	2. The Worse News

I hope you all liked the first chapter. I figured it was best to end the chapter where I did. I dont want to rush the story. Hopefully you enjoyed it enough to continue reading

And thank you for the reviews. I would, however, like to adress a couple.

"DP": Yes. He is being a bit of a cry baby. But who wouldnt be in this situation? If you found out your father isnt really your dad wouldnt you be distraught?

To Lala/No idea D : You must be the same person so I will adress both. I do not want to write that idea. Not to be rude but I dont want to write a story about a rapist with 15 kids. And frankly if Danny, or his friends, had other siblings we would have heard of them in the show. And the guy's in white didnt have enough individuality to have one of them be his dad. And before you deny that you werent the same person commenting twice and agreeing with yourself I have a good reason why. The person agreeing with the first person wouldnt be giving out permission to use the idea from the "first person" with the "damn good idea". And most people dont read the past reviews to know what the other person said only minutes before.

Just saying. If you want to press an idea on me dont pretend to be some one else to make the idea seem more popular. If you like it so much, write it yourself. I wouldnt begin to know how to execute that story.

And I am certainly not wring a story about sex slaves! What kind of sicko do you take me for?

And some one has already written a story about Walker as Danny's dad.

Now that that is done let's continue with the story

I dont own anything but the computer this was written on.

Danny wasnt sure if he wanted to cry or be angry. He knew his parents loved him and were keeping this fom him for his own good. But a part of him couldnt believe they lied to him all this time! Sure, he'd keept his share of secrets and the "I'm half ghost" thing was a pretty big secret. But he didnt hide it from them for near EIGHT TEEN years!

"Danny please open the door..." His sister pleaded from the other side of the door.

Danny grunted in responce, unwilling to speak to her. Had she known too? Who all knew he was practically adopted? Danny could only imagine Vlad's reaction had he found out... Unless he already knew. Maybe that was a reason he thought he could push Danny away from Jack...

"Danny I know you're upset but locking yourself in your room wont solve anything." Jazz told him firmly, "I was angry at them too. I know this is hard for you but they really are doing the right thing."

"Go away Jazz." He mumbled, just loud enough for her to hear him. he didnt even bother to move from his spot on the floor.

He could hear her sigh through the door. He heard the sound of paper rustling and soemthing being set on the floor. Danny turned his head slightly to see the folder from earlier being pushed under the rim of the door.

"At least look at this Danny. You dont have to now but I think it's best for you if you find out where you're from." His older sister said slowly, "Just whatever you do, dont be mad at mom and Dad. They really do love you."

Danny sat in silence as the sound of footsteps walking away from his room faded. He exhaled tiredly and picked up the folder. He stared at the cover for a moment, then with an angry scoff he threw it onto his desk. Like he was going to be opening that any time soon.

He stood and walked over to his bed. He layed down on top of the blanket and stared at the ceiling in thought.

'What am I doing?' He asked himself, 'Mom and Dad didn't tell me this to hurt me. I shouldnt be angry at them...'

He brushed some of his dark, shaggy hair from his eyes. His hair had grown out a lot in the last couple years. But not in a way like his evil future self's. Danny's hair had grown out into a messy mop of black hair that hung wildly on his shoulders. Danny figured the his evil self had gotten his hair from Vlad. He told himself that he wasnt ever going to tie it up because the less he looked like Dark Phantom or Vlad the better. That did beg the question of where Danny actually got his hair from. Was it a recessive gene on his mom's side or did his biological father have similar hair?

Daniel shook the thoughts from his head and rolled over onto his side, curling into himself. His emotions kept changing from self pity to anger to regret and back again. His mind wouldnt stop coming up with questions about who he really was even though all he wanted was for it all to go away. He refused to believe that Jack Fenton wasn't his father. The man had always been there for him and never let him down, on a large scale anyway. He may not have been too intelligent but at least he tried. That's all that mattered to the boy.

But Danny still couldnt help wondering who his Mom had thought was such a perfect match for them. Who was this man that just dropped his seed off at a sperm back and left? Had they ever met the man? DId they have any idea what kind of person he was?

The young Halfa promised himself that he would look at the folder tomarrow and find out. For now though, he just needed to rest his brain. He would sort everything out eventually. For now he just needed to sleep.

The next morning, not surprisingly, Danny didnt feel any better. He woke up in a daze, as usual but it didnt wear off after he took his shower and got ready for school. He shuffled down the stairs and into the kitchen, saying nothing to his sister. She at least gave him some space and didn't say anything. Danny could tell that she wanted to know if he'd read anything from the folder but she didnt ask.

Daniel ate in silence, staring at the back of the cereal box, not really comprehending what it said. He wasnt even sure what cereal he was eating. After he finished he tossed the bowl in the sink and left the house for school.

It was about halfway there that Sam caught up with him.

"Danny wait up!"

He turned to look at her as she stopped at his side, "Oh, hi Sam."

"What's the matter?" The goth asked, noticing the obvious rut he was in, "Did Lancer fail you again?"

He shook his head, "No. Considering the circumstances I think I would prefer that."

Same put a hand on his shoulder and gave him a worried expression, "Danny tell me what's going on."

He sighed, knowing he wouldnt get out of telling her, "I found out last night that My dad isnt really my dad."

Sam had nothing to say. And Danny didn't really blame her. It would be a shock to anyone.

"How... How did you find out?" She asked after a moment of silence.

"They told me. Apparently my dad couldnt have anymore kids after Jazz so they got a 'donation'" Danny explained, sick at the thought, "I haven't found out who the guy is yet..."

"Maybe it's for the best that you don't find out" Same suggested, her attitude the opposite of Jazz's as usual. "I mean, imagine what it would do to your opinion of your dad."  
>"He's still my dad, Sam. Nothing is going to change that." He said narrowing his eyes at her.<p>

She raised a hand in defence, "I'm just saying. It's ultimately your desision what you do about this. Just remember, " She kissed his cheek softly, "I'm here for you."

He smiled at her lightly. Sam and himself had been dating for a couple years now and so far she'd always been there for him when he needed her. He could always count on her to cheer him up.

"Thanks, Sam. I needed that." He said with a slightly brighter tone, "We should go before we're late to class."

The girl nodded and they continued to their school.

It was like any other day, only foggier. Danny couldnt seem to focus on anything. He couldnt stop wondering what kind of man was in that folder in his room. His mind kept putting together images of what his biological might, or might not, look like. Danny was never muscular so the man was always thin, with shaggy hair like Danny's. But none of them seemed to feel right. And everytime the thought of his real father came to mind his blood pressure spiked. He expected to have a heart attack at any moment.

By the end of the day he was so worn out from thinking he was ready to pass out. He left the school with every intention of reading the information in the folder... After he went to the arcade to blow off some steam.

"Dude you really need to go home." Tucker said, having been done with the game he was playing for a while.

"I will... Just, not right now." Danny said tiredly.

Sam sighed and put a hand on his shoulder, "Tucker's right Danny. You really need to get this sorted out with your folks."

The boy groaned and turned away from the game of ac man he was sorely losing at, "Come on guys. YOu can't expect me to just walk back in there and act like nothing happened!"

"But you do have to go back," Sam retorted.

"Yeah. You dont want to angry about this forever do you?" Tuck asked, the concern obvious on his face.

"I'm not angry about it..." Danny paused, "I'm just confused about the whole thing. I dont know what I'm supposed to do about this. Once I find out who the guy is do I ignore it? Do I go looking for him? I just don't know what to do!"

"You just have to take it one step at a time," His girlfriend told him tenderly, "With all the stuff you've gone through ghost fighting, I know you can do it."

The halfa smiled and hugged her tightly. After that he said his goodbyes for the night and set off for home. It seemed like a much longer walk tonight.

He was met by a note on the door telling him that his parents were with Jazz at the college she was enrolled in. They had been helping her ghost proof her dorm for the past week. Oh, well. He needed the time alone anyway. It gave him some more time to think about this whole situation.

Danny left his backpack on the living room couch and walked up staires slowly. He took even breaths as he got closer to his room. The folder was still on his desk when he entered, exactly where he had left it. He had expected Jazz to have gone thorugh it so it being untouched was a shock. His sister must have already looked through it. She was too nosey to have not taken a peek.

The boy grabbed the manilla folder and slowly peeled back the cover to look at the file on the stop of the small stack of paper. There was a picture stuck to it with a paper clip. It was a slender man maybe in his mid thirties, with a build no larger than danny. His long hair was wild and unkept. Some of it was standing up on his head. He had the same color hair as danny and the same blue eyes. Luckily Danny hadn't gotten his teeth from this guy because they were crooked. Danny couldnt help but find somehting familiar about this guy. Maybe it was the smile he had or the strange look he had in his eye. He looked border-line insane. Hm, maybe he _was_ the perfect donor for this family.

Danny set the picture safely aside and read over the facts about the man. He was tall, light weight and had a very high IQ. Danny was thankful to find that out. Maybe he wasnt a lost cause in school after all. Sure his mom was brilliant in school work but hs dad never seemed to have a clue on how to help the boy with homework.

The half-ghost scanned over the paper briefly before finally looking at the name of the man. When he saw what it said Danny was frozen in utter disbelief. He stared in shock at the name that read:

**Nicolai Technus**


	3. Confusion and Awkward Conversations

Thank you to Lord Shokku Raijuu and sterlingsilver90210 for the very kind reviews! and anyone else who reviewed.

And just so every one knows. Yes, I am aware that you arent allowed to know the name of your donor. But this _IS_ the Fentons we're talking about. lol They would find a way to find out. And that will be put in this chapter for the sake of keeping it realistic.

**Disclaimer: I dont own Danny Phantom or it's affiliates.**

Now on to chater 3!

This was not good. This was _definately _not good!

The papers hit the floor and scattered across the floor. Danny stared at them like they were ready to explode. And if they really had anything to do with the Technus he knew, the just might. He took several deep breaths to try and calm himself down.

He had to relax. Technus could have had siblings. He was human at one point, right? Maybe this guy was his brother?... Oh, who was he kidding? Of course it was the Technus he knew. With his luck it had to be. Danny looked at the small photo in his hand and couldnt believ he hadn't seen it before. The man in the picture looked like Technus 1.0, only more alive... Danny had spent so long dealing with 2.0 that he'd started to forget what the self proclaimed 'Master of Technology' looked like before he upgraded.

But this couldnt be possible. TECHNUS was his FATHER?

Danny was snapped from his thoughts when the door bell rang. He composed himself quickly and went to anwer it. He opened the door to find Sam and Tucker standing there.

"What's up? I thought you guys wanted me to deal with this on my own." He eyed the curiously.

"We said you had to sort it out," Tucker corrected him , "We never said you had to do it alone. And by the look of things your parents aren't even home."

Danny shrugged and stepped out of the way to let them in, "They're out a Jazz's dorm. They'll probably be back in a few hours."

"Well at least you had some alone time," Sam said with a small smile, "Did you... look at the paperwork yet?"

The halfa nodded slowly, trying to forget that he had.

"And?" The girl pressed, "What did it say?"

"It had his name." Danny stated flatly, "I dont know how they found that out but I'm kid of wishing they hadnt."

"Isn't that, like, against the rules for them to know the donor's name?" Tucker asked in confusion.

"This is my parents we're talking about." Danny pointed out, "They would interogate the dryer if a sock went missing. I'm sure finding they weren't above hunting down a donor's name."

"So what's the damage?" The goth asked, dropping her bag next to Danny's on the couch, then Tucker did the same.

"Well..." Danny wasnt sure how to answer. They would either freak out or laugh.. "It's... Technus."

Silence...

You could hear a pen drop.

"Are you serious?" Tucker asked, dumbstruck.

Danny nodded once.

"How is that possible? What reason would Technus have to be a sperm donor?" Sam frowned thoughtfuly, "And if he did, hwo did he end up as a ghost?"

"I would guess that he died sometime in the last 18 years." Daniel responded crossing his arms, "But a guy like Technus wanting to help other people have kids? It doesnt add up."

"We could always go into the Ghost Zone and ask him." Tucker offered.

He was answered by two blank stares. Danny nor same could believed he'd thought of that.

The techno-geek laughed nervously, "Right. Like you would actually go _looking _for Technus. "

Danny sighed and scratched the back of his neck, "I already know where he would be. I found out which door was his during one of my fights with Skulker."

"You aren't really considering going after him are you?" Sam's eyes went a little wider.

"I'm a lot stronger than him, Sam. If he tried to attack me I can hold my own." He explained with a slightly cocky tone, "Besides, I need to know what he had in mind when he made his... donation. I get the feeling it wasn't out of genuine kindness."

"But how do you think he's going to react when you tell him you're his... son." Tucker practically whispered the last word, like some one could be listening in on the conversation.

"Then I just won't tell him. At least, not at first." Danny explained, "This is Technus we're talking about guys. When has he _not_ been up to something?"

"I'm going with you." Sam said firmly, "You might need back up."

Danny nodded at her and looked at Tucker, "You in?"

"I dont have a choice do I?"

"Not really no," The half-ghost replied with the smallest of smirks.

Danny's transformation rings appeared and he transformed in the white haired ghost boy every one knew. He grabbed his friends and phased them through the floor, into the lab. They grabbed some of his parents gear and loaded into the Spector speeder. They doubted they would need any additional help but it never hurt to carry a Fenton Thermos around.

Danny opened the ghost portal and they set off into the Ghost Zone to find Technus.

This place was just as creepy as Danny remembered it. Every time he came in here he was met by the same swirling darkness and decay. Last halloweeen he suggested that the ghosts charge admission for humans to make it the biggest haunted house ever. But Walker wouldnt have that. Kill joy.

"So where do we start?" Tucker asked looking at the map of the ghost zone that they had made.

"I just need to find the right door." Danny thought back to when Vlad was gathering technology for his super weapon. He'd stolen a 'Lightening Rod' from technus. Or, rather, hired Skulker to steal it. Danny had managed to get a glimpse of the Techology ghost's door. It was metal and looked something like an entrance to a safe. They just had to make sure they found that one. How many more like that could there be?

"So, how are we going to go about talking to him? You two don't exactly have the best relationship." Tucker inquired with a frown.

"If there's anything Technus likes to do, it's talking about himself," Danny smirked at the windshield of the Speeder as he drove it where it needed to be, "We just have to play it cool and not do anything to make him feel threatened."

They drove quietly up to the door that Danny could only assume was Technus' and he got out. He wanted them to wait in the Spector Speeder just in case this went wrong. Danny's heart was pounding against his ribcage almost painfuly as he hovered up to the iron door. Sure enough, engraved at the top was 'LAIR OF TECHNUS. GHOST MASTER OF TECHNOLOGY!' Even his door wouldn't shut up about him...

Danny turned back to see Sam and Tucker giving him nervous thumbs up. He managed to force a smile back to them dispite how horrible he felt about this. The half of his mind that didnt want to talk to Technus was screaming at him to turn around and go home. This had to be a bad idea.

Phantom reached up and with a shakey fist knocked twice on the door. He backed up quickly just in case there was some security device that might attack him. But nothing happened. Danny head some dull noises of metal clanking on the other side as he waited for his enemy to answer the door. What was he supposed to say when the ghost answered the door. 'Hi you remember me right? Yeah I know you hate me. But guess what? I'm really your son'? Yeah.. That would go over really well. Not!

About a minute and a half after Danny knocked the door was slowly opened. Technus stood there with a very perplexed expression.

"Ghost Child?" His confusion quickly turned to rage, "What are you doing at my domain?"

Danny waved nervously, "Uh, hi... Can I talk to you?"

Technus narrowed his black replective eyes at the boy, "Why would you want to do that?"

"Well you know the old saying, 'keep your friends close, and your enemies closer'," Danny felt his hands shaking as he spoke.

Technus stared at him in silence for what seemed like forever before he looked away. He looked over danny's head at the vehichle Danny's friends were in. The green skinned ghost made a contemplative sound before moving aside and motioning for Danny to come inside. The boy waved briefly to his friends before doing so. The bad feeling in his gut was only getting worse now that he wouldnt have his friends there. But they could just walk in any time they wanted to since they were human.

Danny looked around his biological father's -eew- lair and was surprised to see that it looked mostly like a normal house. Just in this house everything was electronic. Wires covered the cieling and the floor, meshed together like some kind of copper and rubber blanket. There were monitors and Tvs every where but there were also normal things like a couch, a coffee table, lamps and even a kitchen from what Danny could see.

Technus put a hand on his shoulder and shoved him toward the couch and told him to sit down. Danny was grateful that he hadnt been put in some kind of trap yet. But that didnt mean that it still couldn't happen. The Halfa watched the older and much taller male leave through the kitchen door and appear moments later holding two glasses of what Danny figured was tea of some kind. Danny was handed one glass and he thanked the other quietly. At least Technus was a good host... for now.

Technus seated himself in an armchair across from the boy and gave him a mild expression of curiosity and hatred. Danny stared back, examining the man in front of him. Besides the obvious differences they actually had a few things in common. Technus was skinny like Danny was, they both had squeeky voices. That is.. unless Danny really does get his evil self's voice when he got older. But that could have been a side effect of merging with Vlad. But having that voice would be better than sounding like Technus. They both had messy hair and if Danny did tie his back it would probably look something like Technus'. The elder ghost had a more angular face but it was possible that he looked more like Danny when he was younger. Daniel was happy to think he got his looks from his mom though.

"I'm waitig, child." Technus said with a deep frown.

Danny shook his head from his thoughts, "Oh, uh... Right. So..." He swallowed nervously, "I mostly just want to know more about you. Like... What were you like before you died?"

Technus' eyes widened slightly at the question. He clearly didnt understand why Danny would want that information.

"Well, I suppose since I'm already dead it wouldn't hurt," Technus put his glass down on the coffee table and leaned back in his chair. He intertwined his fingers in his lap and hummed thoughtfully, "I died about 17 years ago. I was a technology professor at a university. The same university I learned from. I was about 36 give or take a few years."

"How did you die?" Danny asked curiously.

Technus sighed slightly, "An explosion from one of my experiments. The initial blow didnt kill me but the fire it caused did. Next thing I knew I was here, in the Ghost Zone," He explained, "I think the more important question is why you want to know all this. Stooped to the level of blackmailing your enemies?"

Danny shook his head, "No. I really just want to know. That and..." He stopped unsure if he should bring up the sperm donor thing so soon.

"And what?" Technus asked arching a brow at the younder male.

"And I, uh, found out some information on something you did before you died and I was wondering why you did it in the first place." Danny said slowly, not taking his eyes off of Technus.

"Such as?"

The halfa exhaled, "I saw some paperwork that said you were a, er, sperm donor." Danny practically hurled at the thought, "I was wondering why you would do that,"

Technus stared at him, no emotion on his face at all. The ghost picked up his tea slowly and took a drink from it then set it back down in silence. Danny idly took a drink rom his as well. It took seeing Technus drink to realise how dry his mouth had become.

The master of technology frowned slightly before speaking, "Because of my work, and my obvious lack of appeal to women," Danny held in a nervous laugh at the thought " I never had any children of my own. But a mind like my own couldn't just die. There was too much in the world I could improve with Technology. So I decided to donate my genetic material to a bank so that I might one day have a successor to continue my work should anything happen to me... That is if the child was born with any sence at all."

Danny almost felt bad for the man. He was practically Technus' dying wish and he was nothing like what the ghost expected. Now Danny would feel even more awkward when he told him the truth about why he was here.

Just then there was a loud thumping at the door. Danny and Technus both turned in confusion to look at it. The halfa's first thought was that it was Sam and Tucker but they would have just gone through the door if something were wrong. Technus told Danny to wait there while he checked the door. When the green skinned ghost answered it he was met by one of Walkers goons.

"Can I help you?" Technus asked with an obvious distaste for the officer.

"You've been reported for having real world contraband." The officer said with a smirk, "You're coming with me."

Danny stood quickly as the ghost tried to arrest Technus. He charged up his ecto blasts but it was quickly evident that he didnt need to do anything.

Technus fired his own blast at the guard, causing him to fly backward and slam into the door of another ghost. The technology ghost lifted a hand toward the goon and some of the wires from the floor lashed out to grab the other ghost. With a flick of his wrist the officer was shocked and thrown away to some other part of the Ghost Zone. There was some threat about him coming back but it faded out. Danny stared in shock at the fact that Technus had just taken out one of walkers lackies in a matter of like 15 seconds. The guy couldnt hold his own against Danny to save his afterlife! He must be stronger inside his lair, surrounded by all of this technology.

Technus closed the door and walked back over to his seat.

"I think your friends ran off to hide." He told the boy with a humored smirk.

"You realise now you're in even bigger trouble right? And what contraband was he talking about?" Danny asked narrowing his eyes slightly.

"I'm aware. And I recently aquired a new targeting laser from a lab in your world," Technus explained, "They were going to demolish it away so I figured, why not take it. I can certainly make improvements."

'Phantom sighed and sat back down, "I dont think I want to know."

"Probably not." Technus smirked broadly, "Now if that's all you needed you should probably-"

"One more question?" Danny interupted him before he was told to leave.

Technus eyed him almost suspiciously, "Fine."

The 17 year old thought for a momet about how he would word the question before continuing, "Do you know if any of your 'genetic material' was ever used?"

The elder of the two stop smirking and lowered his eyes to his crossed hands, "I don't know. I guess you could say it was ironic that I died shortly after making my donation. It is possible that some one used it within those few months but I can't be sure."

Danny was surprised at the quiet tone his enemy used. By the sound of things technus really wanted some one to carry on his work.

"Oh.." He couldn't think of anything else to say in responce.

"You should go now. Your friends are probably afraid you got arrested." Technus told him, raising his relective eyes back up to meet with Danny's green ones.

Danny nodded, drank the last of the tea in the glass and stood.

He stopped at the door and turned awkwardly to face the ghost, "Thanks I guess..."

"Dont think this conversation changes anything, ghost child. I will take over your world eventually," Technus promised with a evil smile.

"Yeah right," Danny retorted with a brave smirk before flying out the door to find Tucker and Sam.

Little did either of them know that Technus had already started in taking over Danny's world.


	4. As if it couldn't worse

Thank you to everyone who reviewed! And a special treat in this chapter. Danny gets a JOB! :D Happy day! lol

**Disclaimer: read the past chapters**

Danny found himself thinking about Technus more and more over the next couple days. Nothing too big just small things about him. He wondered what kinds of foods he liked and if there were any he was allergic to. Danny was wondering if they had any personality traits that were similar besides their confidence. Now that Danny thought about his evil self was a tryanical overlord. Maybe that was a genetic trait, to want to take over the world. Danny hadn't repeated anything to his friends that Technus had told him out of respect for the other man. Not that he didn't still hate the ghost for frequently tring to take over the world/kill him. He just didnt want to go telling the guys personal life.

Danny felt a little better after talking to him. At least he could have a conversation with Technus that didnt involve a battle. Turns out when Technus is at home he seems like a pretty regular guy. Well, as regular as a ghost master of technology can get. Danny was sure he had a lab in the back some where where he masterminded his schemes for world domination. But what ghost didn't in the Ghost Zone?

Sam had pointed out a little flaw in his lie that Danny over looked. He'd told Technus that he was getting to know his enemies. That meant that he would have to interview his other foes as well to keep Technus from getting even more suspicious. That was going to be loads of fun. (Note the sarcasm).

"So who can you go talk to that won't try and waste you right off the bat?" Tucker asked, pulling up a list of their enemies on his PDA.

Danny thought for a moment, "Maybe Ember. Jonny 13 and I get along okay I could try talking to him... Poindexter is another maybe... Other than that there arent a lot of my enemies that only mildly hate me."

"Technus is smart. He'll catch on if you only talk to your Frienemies," Tucker noted.

"Frienemies?" Sam asked raising a brow at the geek.

"You know, not quite friends, not quite enemies. Frienemies." He explained.

Danny groaned, "Fine. We'll have to find one of my enemies that absolutely hates me and talk to them... Any ideas?"

"Nocturn?" Sam suggested with a shrug.

"I dont know where he lives." Danny said, falling backward to lay on his bed. He went over all of his past battles and thought of what ghosts he knew of that he would be willing to talk to. It had to be some one that he knew where they lived. Just walking around the Ghost Zone looking for them would never work.

"Walker"

Danny sat up and looked over at Sam with wide and confused eyes, "What?"

"Why not Walker? Everyone knows you two can't stand eachother. It would completely throw echnus off your trail." Sam explained.

"He tried to torture you Sam!" Danny said getting angry at the thought, "I won't take the risk of that happening again. And do you expect me to just walk into his prison?"

"Why not? It's not like he can catch you," Tucker chimed in, "Just stay human. He wont be able to arrest you or throw you out if he wanted to. Just hang around until he answers your questions."

"Harass a police officer..." Danny huffed, "Brilliant idea. As if he didnt have enough on me."

"What were the original charges anyway?" Sam asked. He never really explained to them exactly what happened in Walkers Prison.

"I was apparently: Causing a disturbance, loitering, trespassing, unauthorized survailence equipment and I had real world contraband. He tried to give me 1000 years for it." Danny grumbled crossing his arms. It was totally bogus.  
>There was a moment of silence then Sam said, "So he had every right to arrest you."<p>

Tucker and Danny looked at her in shock. She had _not_ just said that.

"Uh, Sam... Have you totally lost your mind?" Tucker asked.

"No. But since we've been saving he world for the better part of 3 years now I've gotten a better appreciation for the law. I don;t like it but I follow it more then we all used to." She said with a bite in her tone, "If Danny was really breaking the rules than Walker had very right to arrest him. Yeah, the sentence was pretty extreme but, unfortunately, that's the rules. All I'm saying is, if you're going to uphold the law you should probably follow it too."

Danny couldn't believe what he was hearing. His girlfriend was practically telling him to turn himself over to the ghost police.

"So, what, do I go turn myself in? I dont think so!" He snapped.

"That's not what I meant. I just mean that maybe you should think about it from Walkers point of view. You broke the law and then you broke out of his prison. You're a felon in his eyes. Maybe you should find some kind of compromise with him." Sam suggested, "Maybe comunity service of some kind? Then you can do what you have to to and get out."

Danny groaned loudly and fell onto his bed again, "So in other words I go in and apologize to a guy who tried to turn my whole town against me and torture my girlfriend."

"Well, while you do that, I'll stay right here," Tucker said with a frown, "There's no way I'm going to prison."

Danny sighed, "Even if I did suggest that. Walker would never go for it."

"Do you want to fool Technus or not?"Sam asked, putting her hands on her hips.

"Can't I just talk to Skulker instead?" Danny whined.

"Sure. Right after he peels your skin from the bone," His girlfriend retorted sarcastically.

Danny ouldnt believe he was considering this. He felt even worse about it when they were approaching the giant gates of the Prison. He was telling himself over and over that he could do this but he couldnt bring himself to believe it. When the guards saw him and Sam, Danny told them he was here to see the warden. Assuming he was there to turn himself in, they escorted him and the goth girl to Walker's office. Danny stayed in ghost mode so he wouldnt look like a coward.

At first Walker thought it was all some kind of joke. He made his joke about Danny finally turning himself in and Danny made sure to tell him otherwise. Slowly the sadistic warden's smirk faded as Danny, with much of Sam's help, explained the situation to him. The white skinned man began to frown as the idea of 'comunity service' was brought up. Danny kept looking over to Sam to get the same reasuring smile each time. She for some reason had more confidence in him that he did himself. All of this trouble just to fool Technus... He had better appreciate all of this trouble when Danny finally had the nerve to tell him the truth. So, they continued to talk to Walker about the fact that Danny had indeed broken the rules and was willing to admit he was wrong for a little bit of slack from the other ghost. They were answered every now and then by hums and nods with the occasional thoughtful noise. Once they were done talking they stopped to give the Warden some space to speak.

"Well, you see, now I find my self in a very unique position, kid," Walker said, perching himself on the edge of his desk, "You come to me, pleading guilting to all of your previous crimes and offer to work for me in exchange for your sentence... I just can't help but wonder... Why?"

Danny stopped his hands from shaking as he spoke, "I have some stuff going on in my life right now and I feel the need to get to know my, er, enemies a little betetr. I think it will help me to do my job better." He totally pulled that excuse out of his ass but it sounded well enough.

"I see..." Walker nodded once then drawled out, "Well, it just so happens that recently I lost one of my patrol units in a riot so I have a position open... But I dont see any good reason why I should give it to you. You've been nothin but a thorn in my side since day one."

Danny swallowed, "That's okay. I can just leave then."

As he stood to leave he was pushed back int his seat by the ghost, "Hold up there, son. I didnt say you could go."

Danny frowned up at Walker questioningly as the much older ghost walked around them in a circle. Danny felt like an antelope being stalked by a lion.

"I'll tell you what," Walker started, looking down his nose at the boy. He'd ignored Sam the entire time. "In exchange for the thousand years I sentenced you, I'll give you a job as a patrol officer around the Ghost Zone. You do good and I'll knock some time off of your sentence. And you're free to go home after you're done with your shift."

Danny sat up strait and eyed Walker, "But I thought the job was going to cancel out the sentence!"

"What? So you can quit the job later and be free of all charges. I dont think so," Walker frowned, "I'll keep the charges against you around in case you decide to break the deal. That way if you do I can haul you in and you can do the time like every one else."

Danny hated to admit it but that was actually a pretty good deal. That job basically made him a Ghost Zone hall monitor. Piece of cake. He looked over to Sam who shrugged her shoulders.

"It's your call Danny. We could walk out of here now if we need to." She whispered.

"Something tells me that wouldn't go over well." Danny looked back to the warden, "Fine. I'll do it. I'll be able to come in after school."

Walker smirked, "Good. I'll have your uniform ready when you get here."

Danny groaned, "Uniform? Seriously?"

"What? You don't like the deal now?" Walker asked with a humored tone. Danny could tell that the warden was going to have a lot of fun with this arrangement. But hey, it kept the guy off Danny's back and Technus off of his trail until he was ready to tell him the truth. Right now telling Technus the truth was looking really appealing.

Regardless of how uncomfortable that whole situation was Danny felt pretty accomplished when he went home that night. He;d managed to work out a deal with Walker and practially get his slate wiped clean. Not bad for one nights work. Things might start looking up.

That is... Until his ghost sence went off the next morning.

Danny was sitting in english when the that oh so familiar whisp of smoke flew from his mouth. He raised his hand to be excused and quickly left the class room. He hurried down the hall and out of the school doors. There he could see Technus laughing maniacly as usual with computers and other electronic equipment floating around him. Of course, it had to be Technus. For once Danny would have liked to see the Box Ghost.

"I'm goin ghost!" He cried and transformed dramatically into Danny Phantom.

He pushed off the ground and flew towards the tch-ghost. He fired a warning shot to get Technus' attention.

"Aren't you a little old to be hanging out at a High School?"Danny asked, unleashing his banted like always. He was certainly more comfortable talking to the ghost like this than in casual conversation.

"Yes. I am." Technus admitted, "But I'll never get too old for this!"

With a swing of his arm, one of the computers flew fast at Danny, Causing him to lurch to the side to get out of it's way. 'Phantom fired an ecto blast to destroy the device as it circled back around for a second strike. He turned to the elder ghost with a glare. Technus was wearing his usual grin. Danny flew at him, fists first. With all the strength he had he grabbed the ghost and dragged him away from the school so no kids would be hurt. He didnt want to seriously hurt the guy he just wanted him some where else. Technus shouted in surprise and yanked on the boys arms to pull himself free. Danny felt Technbus unleash one of his electrical attacks and was brutally shocked. Unfortunately Technus wasn't aware that Danny wasn't wanting to hurt him. He involuntarily released the techno-villian and tumbled backward and landed in a founted in the park below them.

Danny sat up and shook some of the water from his head, his medium length hair now plastered to his head. Danny pushed his bangs from his eyes to see the green skinned ghost man floating a few feet above him.

"You really should tie that hair of yours back," Technus pointed out jokingly, "You'd be able to see better."

"I can see just fine," Danny said rising out of the spraying water, "But what I cna;t see is why you would bother stealing school computers. Those things arelike 5 years old!"

"Out of date or not, they will serve my puroses," Technus announced, "And soon, all of the technologuy of the world will be in my command."

"You really should get new virus software because you are seriously messed up in the head!" Danny said before firing a blast of his ice powers at the older ghost, hoping that would keep him at bay.

Technus put up a green shield in front of him to protect himself. Then a blast hit him from behind, knocking him into his own shield. Danny looked around to see who had shot him and saw his bother with a bazooka just below them. Danny gaped as she prepared to take another shot.

"Mom wait!" He shouted, flying down to her.

"Just a minute sweety. This will only take a second." She said happily to him, "I powered up the Fenton Bazooka to do more serious damage. Taking him down should be a snap."

Danny watched as Technus shook of the shock of the blast and looked over at them. he charged up his own attack and was prepared to unleash it at any given moment. The halfa was torn between his dislike for the ghost and not wanting his mom to waste him. His eyes snapped back to the large gun when he heard the laser charging.

"Say goodbye, ghost!" Maddie said as she took aim.

"NO!"

The woman barely managed to pull up before she fired. Danny had put himself in front of the Bazooka to prevent her from firing. He knew his mom wouldnt hit him.

"Danny what on earth has gotten into you?" His mother asked narrowing her eys at him through her goggles.

Danny looked over his shoulder at the clearly confused Technus. He sighed and looked back at his mom almost sadly. He spoke only loud enough for his mom to hear him.

"He's my real father.."

Woop!

And don't worry. The Walker thing happened for a reason. It wasn't just filler.


	5. Persistance and Torture

**Thanks to those of you who reviewed and those who didn't for reading. I really wasnt sure how well this story would do but having 19 reviews in the first 4 chapters can't mean anything bad. **

**and ****danifan3000 had a good question. So I will answer it here. Could Danny control Technology. Maybe if he tried hard enough. I like to think that Technus can control tech because that's what his life was before he died. Like Ember with her music and the Box Ghost with his boxes. Pretty much all of the ghosts have powers that correspond with their supposed past lives. But who knows. I suppose any ghost could controle a machine if they really wanted to. **

**Disclaimer: I am not Butch Hartman.**

Danny stared back at his mom as she gave him the same open mouth, wide eyed expression. He'd already seen it twice on Sam and Tucker.

"He's your... WHAT?" Maddie asked in shock, "How can that be?"

"Ssh!" Danny hushed her, "I havent exactly built up the nerve to tell him yet."

"Well why not?" His mom asked putting her un armed hand on her hip, "You're just going to continue fighting him without telling him that you're his-"

"He's been trying to kill me for 3 years. How do you think he would take that kind of news?" Danny whispered, looking briefly back at Technus who was now gathering up the computers he had dropped prior to being attacked.

Maddie thought for a moment, "He probably wouldnt belive you."

"Exactly. I have to ease him into it while simultaneously keeping him from taking over the world... Not to mention my volunteer work in the Ghost Zone." Danny mumbld the last part angrilly. He had been inducted into Walkers work force three days ago and so far wasn't liking it. Danny was supposed to go in and get his official uniform today and go out on his first real patrol.

"I'm proud of you for doing the right thing, honey." Maddie said sweetly, "I'll go. You can handle this."

And with that she hopped in the assault vehichle and drove away to another supposed ghost sighting.

"Well, I'm confused." Technus said from behind the halfa, "Oh well now it's just you and me agai, whelp!"

Danny turned to face his all ghost counterpart in an almost agressive stance, "Like you could handle me before."

They both had powered up their respoective attacks when a beeping caught their attentions. Danny groaned out loud as he checked the digital watch on his wrist. School had gotten out and now it was time for work.

"Ah, great..." He mumbled before looking back to Techus, "This will have to wait. Just do me a fovor, don't wreck too much of the town while I'm gone."

Danny flew away abruptly leaving a totally bewildered ghost man behind.

"Hey!" Technus called after him, "I am not through with you!"

Danny looked back to see Technus flying after him in an attept to keep up. The guy was persistent he'd give him that. Danny sped up and turned a sharp corner toward his house.

"You haven't even thwarted my plans yet!" Technus shouted firig a blast at the boy from behind. It skimmed Danny's shoulder causing him to cry out in pain.

'Phantom almost lost control of his flight pattern at the sudden distraction. He glared back with his glowling green eyes at the ghost on his tail. He'd been avoiding this guy for 3 days and now he couldnt get rid of him!

"Get lost! I dont have time to deal with you right now!" Danny told him, quickly growing tired of the chase.

"Then get back here and make me!"

Danny groaned for about the billionth time this week as he turned around to face his attacker. His green eyes turned to a blue very much like his natural eye color and cold blue energy shot from them. Technus barely managed to dive out of the way, oly his foot being frozen by the blast. Danny used this oportunity to charge the opposing man and tackle him to the ground. He swung once, hitting the other in the jaw. Screw not hurting him. He asked for it.

"You give up yet?" Danny asked.

"When have you ever known me to give up?" Tehcnus smirked, rubbing his hurt face. He then dissapated into what looked like a fog of data and reapeared behind the young halfa. He help up his hands and a coil of electricity wrapped around the boy.

Danny cried out as volts shook his body. He managed to use his own power to break free from it. He kneeled there on the empty sidewalk, panting weekly. The Master of Technology had certainly honed his skilled a little more over the years. He still couldnt figure why he was being so persistant. Technus never stuck around to fight this long. When he had a chance to ge away he took it.

"Come on, child, that can't be all you have." Technus laughed shrilly, bending down with his hands on his knees to look Danny in the face.

"No... It's not." Danny breathed out. Then, inhaling deeply, he unleashed his signature move. The ghostly wail.

Technus covered his ears as he was forced back. His cape and over coat flapped in the wind, as did his long white hair. Danny forced more power through the wail causing his opponent to fly off his feet and into a building behind him. Once Danny ran out of breath he halted his attack. He caught his breath quickly then took this moment to fly home. He looked down at Technus as he left. The elder ghost was shaken from the sheer power of the blow but he seemed fine. Danny raced home as quickly as he could. Tucker, who was in his english class when he'd left, would probably grab his backpack and take it to his house for him. They'd been doing this long enough to work out the system.

Daniel flew through the house, greated his family and then went down to the lab. He went through th portal and jetted off toward the prison. Walker was not going to be happy that he was late... again. Punctuality was a rule. Danny arrived and used the pass key he'd been given to get through the gates. The guard's first instincts were still to want to arrest him though. And of course Dannny wasnt going to let his guard down.

He hovered down the hall to Walker's office where he clocked in every day. He knocked and waited to be invited in as usual. He peeked in the door and found the warden sitting behind his desk reading over his rule book. Danny liked to think Walker was looking for a rule against Danny working for him.

"You're late again," Walker drawled out, not looking up from the pages.

"Sorry. I had a little problem at school." Danny explained.

"What kind of problem?" Walker looked up at the bow under his black hat.

"You know, the usual." Danny said with a nervous laugh. He didn't want to go into detail because then Walker would ask why he didnt haul Technus in.

Danny took it warily and eyed the warden cautiously. It was too light to be one of the uniforms the guard wore. It didn't rattle or clink so there was no metal on it so far as he could tell. Walker nodded once at him signalling that it was okay for him to open the package. The Halfa pulled away the lid to see what stupid outfit the guy had come up with for him. Surprisingly, what he saw wasn't actually that bad. It looked to Danny like a white vest with a green sash a lot like a hall monitor would wear. The vest looked pretty formal actually. It was a smooth soft fabric and it had a collar much like the lapels of Walkers jacket. Daniel pulled the contents of the box out and found a black belt with a silver square buckle. It had pouches and clips on it so he could carry gear around with him.

"You know..." Danny started,"this isn't as bad as I thought it would be."

Walker shrugged casually, "Like it? It's custom. I would have had it for you sooner but the badge took an extra day to be commissioned."

"Badge?" Danny looked up quickly in surprise, "I get a badge?"

"All of my officers have one." The warden smirked as he reached in his own pocket and pulled out something shiney and gold. He tossed it lightly into the hands of the boy, "I hope you're committed, kid, because this makes it official."

Danny ran his thumb over the smooth surface slowly. This thing practically sold his soul to Walker. Across the pointed top of the badge it read "Ghost Zone Police Dept." And just under that his name "D. Phantom". This was for real. No turning back now

"Well are you going to try it on or not?" Walker asked tapping his foot impatiently.

"Oh. Uh, yeah," Danny grabbed the vest and slipped it on, buttoning it up in the front. It went fine with his normal jump suit. He snapped the belt around his waist and pulled the sash over one shoulder, pinning the badge to it. Danny hated to admit it but it didn't look half bad.

He looked up when he heard Walker chuckling. "What?"

"If you didn't look like such a delinquent you would look like proper officer." Walker said with a smirk, "Although there isnt much you can do about genetics. Heheh. You have to do something about that hair though. You ever think of-"

"I'm not tying it." Danny cut him off then got a reprimanding glare in return.

"Don't interrupt me boy," walker told him levely, "I was going to suggest that you brush it. When was the last time you took a comb to that mess?"

Danny huffed. He actually hadn't brushed his hair in a while.

"Here." Walker dug through his desk and pulled out a brush and handed it to the boy.

Danny raised a brow at the ghost before taking it.

"Why do you have a brush?" He asked, "Don't you need hair for that?"

Walker gave him a blank expression and said, "Very funny. Actually I confiscated it a long time ago. Just brush your hair."

Danny did so, tugging the brush through his messy hair. It hurt when it caught a knotted patch but he didn't show it. Walker would have thought it was funny. Not like the creep didn't think this whole situation was hilarious.

"Much better." Walker told him as he took back the real world item and stashed it away.

"Can I go now?" Danny asked, totally uncomfortable with this whole situation.

"One last thing." Walker smirked wider and walked over to a hat rack in the corner of the room. There was an identical hat to his danging there. Danny groaned when he saw the man take it and walk back to him. Instinctively he flinched away as Walker reached out to put the hat on his head. It was like a combination of a fedora and a cowboy hat. He could hear the warden laughing at his expense as the hat was situated over his hair. This was quickly becoming another one of Walkers tortures.

"Please tell me you're joking." Danny pleaded.

"Oh no. I want all of you little friends to know who you work for." Walker drawled out.

Danny sighed, "Great."

"Now go on. Dont want to dallying on your first day in the field, Phantom." Walker told him cooly before walking back behind his desk.

Danny was about to walk out before he stopped and turned back, "What exactly am I supposed to do?"

"patrol the Ghost Zone and report any Ghosts you see breakingg the rules." Walker told him as if Danny should already know, "Didn't you pay attention at all during your orientation?"

Danny was tempted to tell him he hadn't but then he'd have to sit through that nightmare again. The problem was he didn't actually know the rules.

"Do you have a copy of the rules I can look at then?" Danny asked, slouching sightly.

"Just tell me anything that looks suspicious." Walker said, his ever short fuse starting to wear out, "You've been breaking my laws long enough to know what ghosts arent supposed to be doing."

Danny smiled slightly, "Right. See you latter then... Boss." He frowned in near disgust at the last word.

He left without a word to the guards even though they were all talking about him. They whispered things back and forth to each other about the way he was dressed. Danny sucked it up and kept going. He had a few choice words for some of them but he kept those to himself.

Patrol wasn't so bad. He got lots of time to himself and since it was quiet he could think uninterupted. He thought over and over again about reasons Technus would have hounded him like he did hours ago. Being obsessive was Skulker's thing.

It wasn't till the yound man heard laughing that he was snapped from his thoughts.

Danny turned around to see Jonny 13 sitting on his motor cycle and laughing his head off. The halfa wasn't sure what was the matter at first then he realised that Jonny was laughing at the way Danny was dressed. The smaller of the two males crossed his arms and narrowed his radioactive green eyes at the other.

"Is there a problem?" He asked flatly.

"Oh, man! I never thought I would see the day that WALKER becomes your role model!" Jonny cackled, "Did you lose a bet or something?"

"Actually I'm working for him to get out of jail time." Daniel explained raising a brow at the man, "What's your excuse?"

Jonny stopped himself, still giggling quietly, "Okay, I'll stop. But seriously, You're working for Walker? Why? The internship in Hell stop accepting applications?"

Danny shook his head, "It's something I worked out with him so he'll get off my back about all the time I've accumulated over the years."

"Well, you're getting cosy will all your enemies aren't you?" Jonny smirked as he leaned his elbows on the handle bars of his bike.

Danny eyed him acusingly, "What are you talking about."

"Technus is the biggest loudmouth in the Ghost Zone." The greasy boy pointed out, "You think he wouldnt tell anyone that you showed up at his lair?"

Danny slapped his hand to his forehead. Of course Technus told. As if things couldnt have gotten worse.

"So what's this about you interviewing the people you've fought?" Jonny asked, genuine curiosity in his tone, "So far it's only Technus, and I guess Walker, that you've talked to."

Danny exhaled, "It's complicated."

"I see..." Jonny 13 paused for a moment before reving his bike in preperation to leave, "I just thought I'd find you and let you know that technus is casing you."

"Casing me?" Danny flew closer to the other ghost, "What are you talking about?"

"You got your answers about him now he's 'getting his own', as he put it." The blonde shrugged, "I figure he'll probably record your powers and stuff the next time you battle. He probably wants to learn how your powers work."

Oh great...

"I've already fought him today..." Danny slumped his shoulders, "That must be why he chased me down. He was making me attack him!"

Jonny shook his head with a chuckle, "Sounds like you got all kinds of problems kid. See you around,"

And with that Jonny took off quickly, leaving danny alone.

After a brief moment of thought Danny called after him.

"You're supposed to wear a helmet on that thing!"

**So there you have it! Hope you enjoyed this chapter enough to review. If not I really don't mind. I made a picture of Danny's uniform and posted it on my deviantart account. Remove the spaces http:/ transformer-wannabe .deviantart. com/#/d3h1mvk****Hope the link works! **


	6. Mad Scientist

**I realised as I was reading back over the last chapter that a paragraph where walker hands Danny the box with his uniform is missing. It totally deleted it for some reason beyond me. Sorry if that confused anyone. And I was spelling Johnny 13's name wrong. I had totally forgotten the H. Stupid me. I alwasy thought it was spelled Jonny for some reason.**

**Anywho, here's the next chapter. This one has some suspence in it I think. I like this one a whole lot. Make sure and tell me what you think. I think all of you anxious readers will enjoy it ;)**

**Disclaimer: I'm sick of saying this already. But I still don't own Danny Phantom**

Danny ripped the hat off of his head in frustration and if he weren't floating in nothingness he would have stomped his foot. Technus was studying him? The nerve of that guy! Doing exactly what Danny was doing to him!

Well... He couldn't really blame him. Danny had been wiping the floor with the guy since day one. There was some obvious hostility there.

"I need to get to the bottom of this..."Daniel mused quietly tapping his chin with one finger thoughtfully , "But if Walker finds out I left my sector... I'll just tell him I was following up on a lead. He'll be done the wiser"

Danny replaced the hat on his head and flew off toward Technus' lair at top speed. It was a much longer flight from his place near the prison to the Master of Technology's home. It didnt surprise the boy one bit that the ghost didn't want to live any where near the place.

When he got there he banged on the door and waited like last time. There was no answer. He must not have been home yet. Danny mulled it over for a moment before turning human and walking through the door. He looked down at himself once he got to the other side. He was still wearing the uniform.

"Oh, great... This things going to infect both of my lives..." Danny groaned walked further into Technus' home and took a look around.

He looked on all of the shelves to see if Technus kept any journals of his studies. Unfortunately there wasn't a single book to be found. Technus must keep all of his logs in his head or in a computer. But the ghost did have all of the Star Wars movies on DVD. Maybe him and Danny did have a few things in common... And this was an excellent time to find out more!

Danny walked into the kitchen and began searching through the cabinets to see what all Technus kept around. He found soup cans, tea bags, powdered lemonade mix and some other junk foods. His fridge didnt really have anything in it at all. Danny figured that when you were a ghost eating wasnt really something you had to do but something you could do if you wanted. He looked in closets and through walls jsut to see what all types of things Tehchnus had around his house. Apparently even his towls had his name stiched into them. Danny had to remember to get himself a set of towls like that for himslef. Maybe a robe too.

The halfa looked around him curiously. Where would Technus keep his lab? It didnt make sence that he hadn't found _that_ of all things yet. Then again... This _was _only the first floor. Danny turned to see a flight of stairs and took them up to the second floor. Allong the stair well there were design specs and photos of old weaponry and devices Technus was either planing to build or had worked on at one point. There must have been a hundred piieces of paper in frames! Daniel wondered for a moment if the machine that had killed Technus was some where on these walls. At the top of the stairs there was a small landing and a large iron door that practially screamed 'Laboratory'. There was a code lock but fortunately Technus had forgotten to shut the door all of the way so Danny walked right in.

"Whoa!"

The entire upstairs was the lair Danny had expected technus to have. There were gigantic machines, lasers, and wires all over the place. There were monitors that took up entire walls and a gigantic telescope that was pointed out of the observatory in the roof. There were half built battle suits and remnants of old ones strewn about the room carelessly. Danny walked further in when his foot snagged a wire leading to a computer bank and he fell. He landed face first on the metal paneled floor with a resounding 'thud'.

As the boy went to push himself up his hands were snatched out from under him by two iron clamps. He squirmed to try and pull his arms free but ultimately lifted into the air, losing his footing and leverage. His black hat fell off in the struggle. He tried to phase through but he couldn't, even as a human. He even tried going ghost but his transformation rings wouldnt appear.

"My powers aren't working?" He asked himself out loud.

"No. They're not."

Danny gasped and turned his head to face the door he had entered through. Technus was standing there, actually looking rather calm about the situation. Danny had been caught snooping in his lab but his expression said that he didnt really care. Unless...

"You knew I'd be here." Danny glared accusingly at the tech-ghost.

"That's right, ghost boy." Technus agreed hovering up to the young man, his toes inches above the floor, "I had a feeling Johnny 13 would tell you what I was up to and planned in advance. Did you really think I would be so foolish as to leave my Lab open?"

The boy chose not to answer that for his own good

"But why?"Danny asked, now utterly perplexed.

Technus eyed him for a moment befor looking down at the badge on the Halfa's chest, "What do we have here? You're one of Walker's stooges now, huh?"

"Not quite," Danny replied, "Just tell me what you're up to!"

"So you can arrest me?"

"So I can kick your sorry butt!" Danny shouted as he yanked hard on his restraints.

"Hmm.. No I don't think so." Technus smirked leaning in closer to the boy, "I would much rather destroy you now then take you apart to see what makes you tick."

Danny swallowed hard at the thought. He couldnt defend himself if he wanted to! He shouted as he was suddenly slammed into a lab table and a second set of restraints were shackled to his legs. He lashed out with his legs before they were pulled down harshly against the cold metal. Danny actually found himself looking around for a moment to see where his hat had fallen off at.

"You don't want to do this Technus!" Danny called out, now unable to see the mad scientist.

"Oh, but I think I do." The other said with a cackle of evil laughter.

Danny felt a chill run through his veins as a large laser was positioned by his temple. He was going to be disected like a frog in science class. Only he wouldn't be dead first. The younger man turned hsi head and lifted it every way he could to try and see what Technus was doing but the latter wasn't in sight. Danny could only hear the villian typing in a computer and flipping switches every now and then.

"Before I get to the fun part I want to see how well your powers function in a controlled setting," He heard Technus chuckle, "First the ice powers,"

Danny gasped as a device was strapped around his head. It attached on his temples and the middle of his forehead. Before he could ask what it did his body tensed against his will. His transformation rings appeared and scrolled across his body, turning him into 'Phantom. Apon releasing his muscles a blast of ice beams shot from his eyes involuntarily. It wasn't enough to tire the boy out but it was certainly shocking.

"You... You're controling my powers?" He asked in disbelief.

"I think the answer to that question was just answered, " The scientist told him. Danny could hear the evil grin in his voice, "Now for your ectoplasm rays,"

Danny's heart was pounding in his rib cage as he tried to keep his powers in his body. But he didnt seem to have any control! His fists clenched and began to glow green against his will. The blast continued to charge to the maximum amount of power Danny could endure. He felt like he would explode from the strain on his heart. And then it suddenly stopped. Thankfully he didnt allow Danny to fire or else he would have taken out the wall of the room.

"Wh... Why are you doing this?" Danny gasped out as he worked to calm himself.

"Power like yours is not easy to come by these days." Technus explained rather calmly, "I want to see how you became so powerful so I can use it for my own purposes."

Danny managed a brave smirk, "I thought you didnt announce your plans anymore."

"I don't" Technus said with a maniacle laugh, that was actually pretty scarey when echoing off of the high metal cieling. He cringed when he heard a hand come down on the table right behind his head, "But since you won't be leaving here alive it doesn't mater if I tell you or not."

"But I- AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!"

Danny arched his back and screamed as pain wracked his small body. Hundreds of volts of electricity coursed through his frame at about a hundered miles and hour. He ground his teeth as sparks flickered over his now brighter green eyes. He couldn't give in to this nut job. No matter how they were related.

"Come on, child." Technus coaxed and danny could hear him turning a dial to increase the power.

Danny cried out in pain as his muscles spasmed and shook from the painful stimulation. He wasn't sure what Technus was after this time but it definately wasn't going to be a pleasant experience getting there. After what felt like ours of searing torture Danny finally let loose and screamed at the top of his lungs. His ghostly wail ripped through the room like a tornado, shaking it at it's foundation. The walls and roof began to shake and crack around them and the halfa couldn't stop.

"Perfect!" He barely heard Technus announce over the noise.

That must have been what his captor wanted because his electrocusion suddenly halted and Danny was left a twitching, tired, mess. Unable to hold his ghost mode anymore he turned back into a human, helplessly. This was the most insane he'd ever seen Technus and quite frankly, it actually scared him. The guy was ready to waste him and pul him apart like an old car.

"Well that was fun," Technus stated lightly.

"Sc-Screw y-you!" Danny hissed, his mouth tasting like electricity. His hair was probably standing on end at this point.

"Oh, don't worry, child. I will make the pain go away." The tone the insane scientist used was almost a tender one as danny heard him circle around to another side of the lab table. The laser that was once next to Dannys head moved around to point down at him menacingly, "I will make the pain go away permenantly."

"Please... Don't do this!" Danny begged as he tired to pull his arms free. His limbs were far too week now.

"And why shouldn't I?" Technus asked, rage growing in his tone, "You have repeatedly humilated me! Infront of the entire ghost and human world! You've interefered with my plans since the begining! With you gone I can move foreward and become ruler of your world!"

The tip of the laser began to flicker a birght shade of red as it charged. Danny's eyes widened seeing something that would definately kill him mere inches from his face. Tears stung his eyes at the possiblity of not making it out of this.

"Technus dont!" He pleaded as the laser reached full power.

The mad Master of Technology laughed at the top of his lungs at the boys plea, "Yes, beg! That makes this all the more enjoyable for me!"

Danny's fists and teeth chenched as he knew the ghost was reaching for the button to end his life. This was it. The only other time he'd been in this situation it was his kmom in an alternate timeline. There was probably only one thing that would save him now. Ad it was the same way he'd gotten out of it last time.

"Any last words, whelp?" Technus asked cruely as his finger prepared to press the 'fire' switch.

Danny swallowed and watched as the laster readied it self to fire. He took that last moment to call out in a last ditch effort. Here went everything.

"I'M YOUR SON!"


	7. Revelation

**Hope you all liked that last ending xD I think it ended quite nicely.**

**Moving on now.**

Danny flinched as the powerfull laser fired above him. He closed his eyes not wanting to see his demise. His eyelids lit up red for a moment but it vanished as soon as it appeared. A bit of red energy landed on his cheek, only slightly stinging. He opened his once squinted eyes slowly and saw that Technus had moved the laser to the side just before it fired, causing it to miss Danny by mere inches. The young half ghost couldnt slow his heart rate if he tried. It was going about a mile a minute and his lungs were working hard to keep up. He couldn't believe that had just happened.

He'd been spared.

He sat up quickly when his arms were released from their binds. he rubbed the offened limbs pulled back his feet as soon as they were freed. He turned his head hesitantly to look at his biological father. The green skinned ghost was standing back, away from the boy. His expression was one of shock and horror mixed in with disbelief.

Danny swung his legs off of the table and managed to shakily stand. Apparently this motion was still too sudden for Technus and the latter took a step away from him.

"Get out."

Danny stared in shock after the ghost spoke, "What?"

"Get out of my lab." Technus said, an eerie calm in his voice.

Danny lowered his head glumly, "You don't believe me do you?"

"It is not possible!" Technus hissed, "You are not my offspring."

Danny took a weak step toward him, "Look I know it is har dto believe but I-"

"You used what I told you against me. Clever boy. But cruel even for some one who works for Walker." Technus snapped, summoning up his lightning rod as a warning, "You will leave now."

"No I won't! I've been running away for this for almost a week!" Danny shouted back, "Just listen to me!"

That shut Technus up for a little bit at least. He lowered his weapon and narrowed his black reflective eyes at the boy. Danny guessed that was his que to start talking.

Danny started from the stop. He told Technus exactly what his mother had told him the night Danny had found out. Everything from his dad being exposed to radiation to his parents ultimately deciding to go with a donor. He did the best he could to explain that he never knew until a few days ago that Technus was his biological father. Had he known a long time ago things probably would have been different. Technus was looking very, VERY uneasy at this point.

"I... I need to sit down." Technus slurred as he fumbled to sit on the floor awkwardly.

Danny figured that he would take it like this. He didnt expect a huge whirlwind of emotion over it because Technus hated to feel ghost was obviously disoriented though.

"Should I get you something to drink?" Danny offered, unsure of what to do now that he'd made it to this point. The creep had just gotten done torturing him within an inch of his life but if he were hostile now things would get real ugly, real fast.

"I need ectohol..." Technus stood and walked briksly from the room as if he'd never sat in the first place. Danny slowly followed him, keeping a comfortable distance. His legs wobbled underneath him with each step but he wanted to make sure Technus wasn't going to completely lose it.

He followed the taller Ghost to the kitchen where he saw Technus open a cabnet that had previously been locked. He pulled a bottle of some pale green glowling liquid. Bust have been the ghost form of liquor.

"Look, I know this is a lot to take in but you have to believ me.." Danny said as the ghost un corked the bottle and poured a very tall glass, "Drinking probably isn't the best thing to do right now though."

"I can take care of myself." Technus snapped, his eyes flashing red for a moment, "What are you still doing here? Dont you have a job to do?"

"Right now I need to know I can trust you not to do anything stupid." Danny said sternly crossing his arms, "I don't like this anymore than you do but it's something we have to live with."

"I'm dead, child. I don't_ live _with anything." Technus bit out after taking a very large drink, "I've been dead for 17 years. my days of living with things are long since over."

The halfa sighed dejectedly, "Technus come on." He walked over and moved the bottel away from the other ghost befoer he could refil his glass, "What about all that stuff you said about wanting some one to continue your work."

"That was before I knew that my dream depended on _you_!" Technus slammed his glass down so hard it shattered on the counter top.

Danny jumped back at the suddenly agressive action. Technus just stared at the mess he'd made for about a minute before sighing.

"What do you want from me, ghost boy?" He asked with a shake of his head, "I won't put all of my plans on hold because you're blood."

"I never asked you to," Danny replied with a slight frown, "But if you would prefer I leave you alone until you come to grips with the reality of it then that's what I'll do. Lord knows I still haven't gotten used to the thought."

Technus was silent for a while before replying, "What is your mother like? Is _she _at least intelligent?"

Danny ignored the insult and ansered simply, "Yes. She's a genius. And she would probably like to meet you one day. You did help them out a lot."

The master of all things electronic and beeping scoffed slightly, "Your parents are ghost hunters. They wont want anything to do with me."

Danny shrugged, a motion that hurt his sore joints, "You don't know how sweet my mom can be. Or how oblivious my dad is..."

A part of him kind of felt bad for saying 'My dad' in front of technus. But it was true. Jack Fenton had always been Danny's dad.

"I need time to think..." Technus composed himself quickly and nodded to the stair case quickly. A telepathically controlled wire came down from the room above carying danny's hat.

The boy took it and placed it on his head. He stood there for a moment as the two watched each other in silence. They were quietly taking the other in. looking for similarities or things they found familiar. Somehting that might actually tie themselves to each other. Although, Technus may have been just looking for ways he _didn't_ look like Danny.

The half-ghost inhaled and transformed quickly back into his ghost mode. His body was tired but he had a shift to finish before he could go home and sleep. He walked to the door without being asked and opened it. Danny turne back to see the man he shared genes with leaning casually in the door frame of the kitchen. There were no other words to say. Just awkward silences.

There was only one thing Danny could think of that might help.

"I guess I'm sorry you had to find out this way."

"Me as well." Technus mumbled in return, "Just go. You shouldnt be here."

Danny frowned but nodded as he took off into the ghost zone once again. Technus shut the door after him and slowly made his way back up to the laboratory. He walked past all of those old experiments and tests from a past life and he couldnt help but think about everything he'd screwed up. He didn't feel guilty over it. Just a bit peeved that now his greatest failure was smacking him in the face.

He pushed open the steel lab door and entered without a glance at anything around him. The messes seemed to clean themselves up with a single thought and evrything was put away. Technus found himself seated on the edge of the lab tabel he'd been using earlier.

'I'M YOUR SON!'

The words echoed in his head over and over. He was very shocked that the ghost boy would even say the words out loud. The child must have been disgusted by the very idea of being related to Technus. Not that he blamed Danny. Technus called himself many things but never once, appealing. The other ghosts frequesntly took cracks at his single status.

who cared what they thought. The opinions of lesser ghosts meant nothing to Technus. He was the master of all things Electronic! He needed no one's approvable.

But then there was this boy... A boy that gave way to idea Nicolai hadn't thought about in ages. Maybe he could get to the halfa and get him on his side. The power that half-ghost abomination could create was off of the scales. Technus' equipment could barely handle the stress placed on it. The green skinned ghost smirked at the thought of having that much raw power at his disposal..

"ah, the kid would never go for it," He grumbled, putting his chin on the heel of his hand. "He's too high and mighty to join me... Unless of course I get him to think I'm on _his _side!"

The new plan was brilliant! He would go into the boy's world and win him over through acts of -eugh- kindness... Once the boy is thoroughly conviced of his change of heart he would sway the boy to do his bidding! And the child would be none the wiser! Danny Phantom may have been above using an enemies weakness against him but Technus was far from that. He'd proven that already in the past.

Technus laughed to himself as the blue prints of his scheme were plotted in his mind. Maybe this boy would be able to help him continue his work after all!


	8. Time Off

**Big, big thanks to ****Super Sister for the wonderful review she gave me! I was hoping for a response like that but I wasn't sure if I would get one! :D Thank you so much!**

Danny's body took a few days to recover from the abuse it had gone through at Technus' expence. Luckily he'd managed to finish his shift and clock out before he passed out... On Walker's office floor. Luckily he didnt have to explain it because when he came to he found himself in his room at home. The warden must have had one of his goons take the boy home. Probably didn't want Danny drooling on his already filthy floor. Good thing danny hadn't agreed to be the janitor...

The week finished and a new one began without a break. When Danny wasn't at school or at work he was fighting ghosts in his "free" time. He was always tired and was really hating his life at the moment. He faced anothiestrait week of ghost fighting and patroling before he could sit down and catch his breath. Why couldn't any of the ghosts he'd met ever actually _help_ him? They asked him to help them all the time but then never showed up unless their after lives depended on it. Well, that was the price of being the hero. But this was a friday night. The work week was over and now he could relax.

"You look beat, dude," Tucker stated as they sat in Danny's room, "You really should take a nap."

"Everytime I try my ghost sence goes off!" Daniel whined burrying his face in his pillow, "This is getting rediculous!"

"I guess word got around that you were working for Walker and now all the Ghosts are giving you a hard time over it," The dark skinned boy shrugged.

"Tell me something I don't know..." Danny huffed, sitting up to look at the clock. It was a quarter to seven. "I gotta get ready."

"Ready for what?" Tucker asked rasing a single brow.

Danny hopped up from his bed and went to his dresser, "Sam and I made plans for tonight."

"And you didn't invite me?" Tucker stood from the box he was sitting on with an accusing frown.

"It's a date, Tuck. You told us not to take you on any of those, remember?" Danny chuckled as he pulled out a nice white button up shirt and black slacks, "Besides it's not your kind of place."

"What kind of place is it?" The techno-geek asked curiously as he walked over to stand by his friend.

"It's teen night club that only serves ultra-recylco vegetarian stuff," Danny explained coolly.

Since he and Sam had started dating he'd been able to look past the grossness of her tastes. It was one of the ways he showed that he cared. That and she wouldnt kiss him if he had meat breath.

"Yeah, you two have fun..." Tucker made a fake puking noise, "I don't know how Sam can even eat that stuff. It's strait dirt!"

"It's not that bad if you add a ton of hot sauce to it," Danny chuckled as he pulled his T shirt over his head.

He'd been friends with Tucker for years so changing in front of him was no big deal. He pulled on the nicer shirt and buttoned it exccept for the top 2. He hated it when shirts wer too tight around his neck. He changed into the black pants that were a bit tighter than his normal jeans and slipped on his sneakers. Going to the closet he grabbed a light black high collared coat. He looked in the mirror to make sure everything looked good before grabbing his Ghost Zone PD badge and pinning it to the outside of his jacket.

"You're really going to take that with you?" Danny's best friend asked giving him an odd expression, "I thought you were off duty."

"I am," Danny said smugly, "I carry it just in case. The badge alone scares most ghosts away. And if not I'm packing a thermos."

He could tell the other boy was clueless when he looked around and didn't see the infamous Fenton Thermos anywhere. Danny laughed quietly and turned back to his desk. He grabbed a small tube about the size of a pencil case and held it up.

"I give you the Mini-Thermos! Half the size of the regular thermos and half the holding capacity. For the ghost hunter on the go." Danny presented it as if he were trying to sell it. He was actually kind of proud of the little thing, "Made it myself."

"You _made _that?"

"Yup."

Danny watched his friend stare blankly at him for a long moment. after a while of getting the same wide eyed look Danny groaned loudly, making his smile disapear.

"What are you _staring_ at?" He demanded in frustration.

Tucker looked around him almost nervously, "Nothing it's just that... That's soemthing I wouldn't normally expect from you..."

"Okay. And?" Danny raised a curious brow at the other teenager.

"I dunno.. I was just thinking that..." Tuck paused thoughtfully, "mayeb you're more like Technus than you realise."

Daniel stood there for a moment and thought about the words. He looked at the device in his hand thoughtfully then frowned. He didn't want to be like Technus and he never would be. Not if he could help it. He pocketed the mini-thermos and stalked out of the room.

"What did I say?" Tucker called after him, "Danny."

The latter went downstairs and heard a soft knocking at the door. He composed himself and answered it. He smiled at the pretty girl on the other side.

"Hello, ma'am can I help you?" He asked, keaning on the door frame.

"Hello officer. I was hoping I could get an escort for the night," Sam replied with a slirty smile.

Danny laughed and showed her in, "It's good to see you."

The goth hugged him lovingly and smiled up at him, "You too. You're always so busy now that we don't get any real time together anymore."

"Tell me about it. At least Technus hasn't been a bother lately. I think he's still holed up in his lair." Danny sneered in the general direction of the ghost portal.

"Forget about ghosts, Danny," Sam told him as she soothingly brushed his hair from his face, "Let's just enjoy tonight, okay?"

Danny leaned in and pecked her on the lips briefly before taking her smaller hand in his, "That much I can do."

They left the house, forgetting Tucker was upstairs, and headed toward the club. They walked hand in hand down the sidewalk, fingers wrapped together. They talked about school their families and general stuff that had happened in the news during their alone time. They both knew that once they got into the club they wouldnt be able to hear one another.

"So, what is it like working for the devil incarnet?" Sam asked jokingly, refering to Dannys "internship" at the Ghost Prison.

He groaned, "Don't get he started. I'm under everyone's boot there. I'm constandtly being talked to like I'm a little kid!"

"How old is Walker again?" Sam asked with a strait face, "Ah, don't worry, Danny. Things will look up eventually... Eventually you'll stop being the new guy and you'll just be the ghost kid again."

"Walker's made me the laughing stock of the ghost zone. Every knows I work for him and that makes them hate me even more." Danny thought back to several days ago when Spectra attacked him out of the blue then flew away asking danny to give her regards to the Warden. Luckily word hadn't gotten around about his lineage or there would have been more hell to come.

"Think about it this way," Sam piped up, cutting his thoughts short, "Maybe if you work hard enough you can convice Walker to chaneg some of the rules."

Danny laughed out loud, "I hightly doubt that. The rules are like his cocaine."

"Speaking of crack heads," Sam pointed ahead of them to Dash who was walking along the same sidewalk as them but going the opposite direction.

Danny didn't get bullied by the jock anymore. Now he faced other problems. If the blond jerk wasn't being a totally obnoxious fanboy, he was accusing Danny of using his powers to do better in school... or something stupid like that.

"Hey, fenton!" Dash said with a cocky grin, "I heard you got an A on your math test."

"So what if I did, Baxter?" Danny spat back. he was so tired of taking this guy's crap. And now he wasn't so afraid of Dash that he would sit back and take it. In fact, he wasn't afraid of Dash at all.

"Well, I got my test back yesterday and I only got a C." The taller bafoon poked Danny hard in the chest, "You overshadowed the teacher to give yourself a better grade!"

Daniel rolled his blue eyes toward the sky, "Of course I did. Because there's no way I could have actually studied for the test. Dash, unlike you I can actually read my math book."

The bullies eyes flared with rage and he clenched his fists threateningly , "What did you say to me?"

"Danny let's just go." Sam whispered trying to pull her boyfriend away.

He didn't budge, "No. If Dash wants to pick fights then maybe I should fight back... Wail on him, so to speak."

Dash took a step back and tripped on the curb. He fell backward into a pudle of muddy water with a shout. Danny laughed and began to walk away with Sam.

"Grrr. Coward. Hiding behind your ghost powers." Dash mumbled, "You're a freak just like your parents."

The half ghost stopped in the middle of his step and looked back at the boy. His eyes glowed green and he gave the most evil glare he could manage. He turned around and clenched one fist making it glow bright green. Dash cowered slightly in fear of being zapped.

"I'd be careful if I were you, Baxter," Danny threatened, "I hear karma has a way of sneaking up on a person. And believe me, you _will _get yours."

Danny disapated the ecto energy and grabbed Sam's hand. He pulled her along beside him in silence.

"Danny are you okay?" She asked with concern.

"I'm fine. I'm just tired." He explained through gritted teeth.

Sam sighed, "If you say so."

They were barely a block away from the club when Danny's ghost sence went of. He exhaled in frustration and looked around. What is it now?

"That you Ghost Child?"

Danny froze at hearing the voice of his biological father. He whipped around and saw technus standing under a lamp post. He must have traveled there through the power lines. The ghost boy stepped between Sam and technus to protect her should technus try anything.

"Of course it's me. What do you want Technus? Come to test out one of your new weapons?" Danny asked with narrow eyes.

"No, no. Nothing like that..." Technus said with a wave of his hand. "I... I came to talk to you..."

Danny's eyes widened and he glanced back at Sam who shrugged cluelessly. The boy dropped his guard and resumed standing casualy.

"Talk about what?" He asked, but not without thinking the ghost was up to something.

Technus shrugged a shoulder and walked toward them slowly, "Whatever it takes."

"To do what?" Sam couldn't help but ask.

"I wanted to -and I can't believe I'm saying this- try and make this work..." Technus smiled briefly before it faded to an almost sad expression, "As a ... Family...?"

Danny stared in awe at what the man who was speaking to him. Technus just called him family. And he didn't laugh or make some sarcastic comment. He.. meant it? There was no way he could really-

"Before you say anything," Technus stood in front of the boy, "I want to make it clear that I am indeed the same Technus, Master of technology, that you have fought in the past. I'm no pushover. But I am flexible enough to try and work this out."

Danny could sort of believe that. After all he'd seen a future where technus had merged with Skulker.

"Talk to him, Danny." Sam whispered, gripping his shoulder gently, "This is way more important that our night out."

Danny hated to admit it, but she was right. They could reschedual but what were the odds Technus would make this effort again?

"Fine." He crossed his arms, "We'll talk. But not out here. We'll go back to my place."

Technus smiled what looked like genuine happiness and they headed back to Fenton Works. At least there Danny would have the home field advantage if the ghost tried anything.


	9. Act

As the trio entered Fenton Works technus was grinning evilly. He had successfully gained a small portion of the boys trust. The impressionable child was going to be easy to fool indeed! He followed the Halfa into the living room and sat on the couch at the opposite end as the ghost child's Gothic girlfriend. The boy went to the fridge to get them all something to drink.

"So..." She started slowly. This situation was awkward for more than one reason, "how's... Afterlife?"

Techus shrugged nonchalantly,"Not too bad when I'm not being assaulted by your boyfriend or trying to avoid being arrested."

The teenage girl laughed nervously in response. "He means well at least. If you two had gotten to know each other better maybe you could have gotten along. My names Sam Manson by the way. If you didn't know." He was surprised when she leaned over and reached out in a gesture of good will.

"I am Technus, as I am sure you know." Technus smirked and shook her extended hand briefly and crossed his arms, " And need I remind you that HE put the idea of world domination in MY head."

"He did?" She looked over at him with wide violet eyes as she absently wiped her hand on her skirt, "He left that bit of information out."

The ghost master if technology smirked, "Well this WAS long before you two became an item. I'm sure he didn't tell you everything."

The girl managed a smile for a moment before she frowned and redirected her eyes away. She inhaled deeply and let it out slowly before speaking.

"Danny may not admit it but I'm sure he wants to make this work out," she told him quietly, "Do me a favor and take this seriously. This is a big deal to him. Finding out you were his biological father and not Jack hurt him."

Technus hummed thoughtfully. So the boy was vulnerable. This could help him. And this female, who was obviously special to the boy would unknowingly help technus get close to his new found son... That was still a disturbing thought for the ghost turned to the girl and nodded once in reply. He had to keep up this nervous act in order to be convincing.

She perked up slightly in time for the whelp- er, Danny walked back in the room.

"All we had was cola. That okay?"

"Works for me." Miss Manson answered taking one of the cans.

Daniel held out a can to Technus and he took it without a word. The ghost boy joined them on the couch with a tired sigh. He looked absolutely worn out. Technus took this opportunity to notice how much the boy had grown since they had met. He'd grown significantly taller from the prepubesant kid Technus had done battle with. He was almost a man now in age and size. His hair was longer now and was just as messy as the ghosts hair had been at that age. And those blue eyes... They were definitely Technus' own. Readings popped up on the insides of his sunglasses as he scanned over the teenager.

When Danny noticed him looking him over Technus looked away. He opened his soda can to drink from it. No one spoke for almost 5 minutes. They just sat drinking their beverages.

"So... How old are you now?" Nicolai asked wiping his upper lip from his previous sip.

"Seventeen" Danny answered dryly, "My birthday is coming up soon though."

"I missed everything then," the father chuckled slightly, "So I take it you're a senior in your school,"

The boy nodded slowly,"Yup."

Technus nodded as well and noticed the shiny brass badge on Daniels jacket. He snorted slightly at the thought of the boy actually enjoying his new occupation.

"So how are enjoying working as law enforcement?" Nicolai asked humorously.

"It's kicking my ass!" Danny Fenton groaned putting a hand on his tired face, "I would quit if I hadn't already promised I'd do it."

"And me and Tucker are proud of you for making the mature decision." Sam said placing a pale hand on her boyfriends knee, "Well I'm proud of you at least."

Danny scoffed and put an arm around the girl. Technus wasn't used to seeing his mortal enemy in such a calm setting. He wasn't sure how to react when Daniel had shown up at his lair out of the blue... Or green, he should say. But Technus treated him as he did any other ghost when he entertained. This must be his bastard sons way of returning the favor.

Then something occurred to him. He hadn't seen the ghost boys parental units yet.

"Where are your parents?" Techus asked with a hint of curiosity in his voice.

"Probably down in the lab." Danny stated taking a swig of his soda.

"They should meet you," Sam suggested managing to force a smile at the ghost that had always been their enemy. Technus had had minor interactions with her in the past. In his first attept at world domination she had distracted him while the nerdy boy with the funny hat shut down his battle suit. The time after that was in the video game world of 'Doomed'. She'd used a cheat code to smash him.

"I don't think that's such a good idea, Sam." Danny frowned at her, "my mom knows who he is but my dad would try and attack."

"Emphasis on _try_ danny." Same commented with a smirk at the other teen, "Your dad is a really bad shot,"

"Yeah. He couldn't hit the broad side of a barn" Danny agreed with a tired blink before turning to his father,"up to you."

"I would like to meet the people who chose my DNA to create their offspring," Technus smiled, using this as a better opportunity to get close to the family.

The younger male looked slightly creeped out but stood and waved for the other two to follow him. As they entered the kitchen Technus overheard a loud banging noise and a cry of pain from a deep voice. The boy's incompetent "father". Nicolai heard Danny groan as they all walked down the stairs. Well, Dnany and Miss Manson walked. Technus casually floated.

The half ghost turned back to look at him with a slight glare, "No ghost powers. I don't want to freak them out."

"alright then." Technus dropped to the ground as they entered the he saw a large man in an orange outfit rubbing his head like an idiot and what could only be his wife patting his shoulder.

"Oh hi, sweety!" A woman in a blue Hazmat suit called as they entered. Technus had a feeling she was talking to the boy, "What are you doing here I thought you would be out with Sam to-Oh hello Sam!"

"Hi, Mrs. Fenton." The girl waved with a smile.

"Soemthing came up." Danny said thumbing behind him at the Technology ghost.

Mr and Mrs Fenton stared at Technus for a moment. The mother walked over to Danny and whispered something that Technus couldn't hear at first. Mentally he adjusted a device he'd implanted in his eardrum to increase his hearing capability. He managed to catch the last bit of what they were saying.

"What is he doing here?" The woman asked with a nervous look in her lavender eyes.

"It's fine, Mom. I told him." Daniel explained, "He wanted to meet you and I figured you wanted to meet him in person."

"Well, alright... We'll just keep the fact that he's a ghost from your father, er... Jack for now. Okay?" She smiled kindly at her son and patted him on the head. Hearing that Technus suppressed his white glow. From the looks of the man he wouldnt even notice Nicolai's green skin.

"Who are you supposed to be?" jack Fenton walked over to technus with his gloved hands on his hips.

"I am Technus! Master of Technology!" Technus announced proudly and held out his hand to shake with the other, "And you must be Jack Fenton! I have heard so much about you."

The human man instantly smiled. Flattery worked. They shook quickly before Technus pulled back his hand. He didn't really want to touch the mortal but it was a formality. He already had to force a disgustingly happy smile for the family. He glanced back at Danny from under his sunglasses and saw the Halfa glaring at him a bit. This was going to be difficult winning the child over.

"Dad, this is Nicolai Technus." Danny walked up beside the taller ghost, "He's the donor you and mom used."

Jack's face paled a bit in awe. Technus looked over when he felt a hand land on his arm. He saw Danny looking up at him with narrow eyes. It was a warning glare telling the other not to do anything he'd regret.

"You?... But how?" Jack wondered looking between the teenager and the practically middle aged ghost.

"Daniel went out and found me." Technus smirked, putting a hand on the boy's shoulder that was closest to him, "I was more surprised by the news than you are I assure you."

He felt the shoulder under his hand shift in an attempt to shrug him off. He ignored it for a moment before removing it.

"Well it is so nice to finally meet you, sir. You did so much for our family," The mother said with a tender smile, "I'm Maddie. Danny's mom."

The technopath nodded once with a smile.

"I heard you were an inventor. What kind of things do you invent?" Maddie asked with genuine curiosity.

Technus hesitated before answering, "I engineer computers."

"Oh, how interesting. Danny's actually taken an interest in building things too." Mrs Fenton said cheerfuly motioning to her boy.

The clearly smartest of all the scientists in the room glanced over at Daniel to see him trying to signal his mother to shut up.

"Has he now?" Technus smirked at him.

"Oh yeah. He made a new version of the Fenton Thermos," Jack said proudly, putting extra emphasis on the word 'Fenton', "It's a device we use to catch ghosts.

Oh, Technus was very familiar with the containment unit. He'd been forced inside it more than once and it was not a comfortable place to be. That had to be inhumane!... Not that Nicolai was one to talk.

"Mom, Dad, can we let it go now, please?" Danny pleaded.

"I know, since it's so late why don't you stay the night Mister Technus?" Maddie offered.

"WHAT?" Danny and his girlfriend shouted at the same time.

"I can't imagine you... driving home this late at night." The curvy woman explained covering up the fact that in order for Technus to go home he'd have to use the ghost portal.

"Mom, I dont think that's a good idea." The youngest male in the room pointed out, "We don't know him _that _well."

"Well then we'll have to get better aquainted then, won't we?" Jack said with a broad grin, "You can sleep in our daughters old room."

The evil ghost beamed at the other man of almsot equal height, "Thank you. I would be delighted."

"Danny why don't you show Nicolai to his room. Then you can take Sam home," Maddie told the boy, "It's late."

"Fine..." Danny grumbled, grabbing the sleeve of Technus' trench coat, "Come on."

He was led up the stairs and to a room that had been cleared out except for the bed, a dresser and a lamp. Apparently this daughter of theirs had moved out. Technus walked into the room a bit then turned back to look at the adolecent with him.

"This makes you uncomfortable." He stated getting an eye roll in return.

"Duh. You've done nothing but try and kill my family. You're lucky my mom is so accepting of family." Danny spat.

"Relax, child. I won't cause any problems here. I only want to get to know you better." Technus lied through his collected exterior.

"You're right. You won't cause any problems." Danny smirked and reached in his pocket to pull out a cylinder that looked an awful lot like that other trap he used.

"Oh that must be the new thermos that man downstairs talked about." Technus clapsed his hands behidn his back, "Are you going to trap me in it to keep me out of trouble?"

"Maybe," Danny narrowed his blue eyes threateningly.

Technus sighed, "Well get it over with then." He knew he'd have to put up with it for the night for his plans to work.

Daniel uncapped the thermos but didn't point it at the enemy ghost. Technus watched the boy for a moment in silence. The expression on his son's face was contemplative.

"Having second thoughts?" Technus humorously asked.

The seventeen year old held up the thermos and sucked the man inside wihtout another seconds delay. It was just as small on the insied as it was on the outside. Daniel recapped it and smirked with satisfaction.

"Not quite." Danny spoke to the metal container, "I was just wondering if I should let you change first. I decided against it."

Danny tossed the thermos onto the pillow of the empty bed, hearing a shou of pain and discomfort as it landed. He turned off the light and exited, shutting the door behind him with a laugh.

"Sweet dreams Technus."


	10. So maybe it's not ALL bad

**What a great way to celebrate the 10th chapter!  
>I got my first flame! Hooray! That means people are reading. :) I don't give a damn if people call me a dork for my story (which, by the way, is a totally lame insult. Just saying). I'm not perfect and I am willing to admit it. I'm not writing the story for the people who hate it and think I'm not original. I'm writing it for the people who tell me they like it and for myself since I have fun writing it. But I appreciate the honesty. Thanks to all for the reviews!<strong>

**The last chapter wasn't the best but I'll make it up to you guys in later chapters I promise.**

The next morning Danny woke up feeling refreshed and awake. He'd managed to get a good nights sleep and was ready for the weekend. He hopped out of bed, smelling his mom making breakfast downstairs. Danny streatched, popping his back with a content sigh. He slipped into some casual clothes and left his room to go to the kictchen.

"Morning mom," He said as he entered the room.

"Morning Danny!" She smiled over at him as she flipped a pancake.

Danny looked around and didn't see his dad anywhere, "Where's dad at?"

The woman looked back at the food to make sure it wasnt burning, "He's in the back yard with Nicolai."

Danny was about to sit down and stopped, "Nicolai? You mean Technus?"

She nodded, "That's the one." She looked over her small shoulders at the teenager, "It wasn't very nice to keep him locked in the thermos all night, Danny."

"Why would you let him out?" Danny ran toward the back door hoping Technus hadn't blown up his dad in the time they were alone together.

He threw open the door and saw the two men lounching in armchairs. They were talking... Just... Talking. Danny exhaled in relief as he walked out to join the two.

"Hey danny! 'Bout time you woke up!" Jack called as the boy walked to his side, "Nicky and I were just talking about you!"

"Nicky?" Daniel looked over at the green skinned man to find Technus not even looking at him. He was reclined slightly with his face toward the clouds.

"I was just telling him about how you were doing in school." Jack continued.

"You really should work on that D in English, Daniel," Technus said with a throaty chuckle.

"That's the least of my worries lately." Danny said to himself before turning to his dad, "I think mom is almost done with breakfast."

"Great! I'm starving!" The orange clad man hopped up and ran inside with a grin.

Now that they were alone danny turned to face Technus who still hadn't moved.

"What are you trying to pull, Technus?" He asked clenching his fists.

"Why do you think I'm trying to pull anything? We were simply making conversation," technus said beginning to frown, "Can you step to the left?" Danny did so and the man smiled again, "Perfect. The sun was starting to hurt my eyes."

"You're wearing sunglasses." The halfa said crossing his arms.

Technus sighed and sat up strait in the chair and stared blankly at the boy.

"You're skepticle of me." he said, the corner of his mouth turning down a bit.

"I'm skepticle of your motives." Danny replied sitting in the seat his dad had previously occupied, "We've been fighting for 3 years you can't just expect me to let you in like that," He snapped to prove the point.

The technopath nodded, "I see... And how would you suggest I prove I am not trying to trick you?"

Danny thought about that. It was a good question. There had to be something to prove whether or not Technus' motives weren't evil. He could have Technus fight crime with him but then that would draw attention from the other ghosts and they couldn't have that... So what was there to do? Danny had an idea suddenly that wouldn't interfere with his life too drastically.

"I'll give you till my 18th birthday to prove you've changed." Danny said firmly.

"Change?" Technus asked rasing a brow, "I thought we had covered this already."

"Well then I guess we will never work this out," Danny shrugged and started toward the house.

"Hey, wait!" Was the call he recieved in return.

The teen stopped and smiled to himself before turning around, "What?"

Technus lifted himself out of his seat and walked over, "What would be required of me to make this change you speak of?"

Danny smirked, "First of all you will have to stop attacking people." He almost laughed at the pained expression on the ghosts face as he continued, "And if you want technology you have to go out and buy it instead of stealing it. Unless of course you build it yourself."

Technus groaned slightly in protest but gave in, "Fine. What else?"

"You can't figure out the rest on your own?" Danny smirked adn narrowed his eyes slightly. He turned on his heel and walked back into the house, "You had a family once. Figure it out."

Danny walked back inside to see his mom putting two plates on the table. He walked over and sat in his usual spot and technus came in soon after him and sat in Jazz's old seat.

"Look at that. we have a full table again." Maddie mused as she took her place, "We're glad you decided to stay with us for another day Nicolai."

Danny was getting very disturbed by the first name basis Technus was on with his parents. But it could always be worse. It could be Walker instead. Not like his mom wouldnt have invited his boss over if she could. Luckily Danny didn't have Walkers number if the guy even had one.

"So where are you from?" Jack asked in between mouthfuls of 'FlapJack Fentons'.

"Boston actually." Technus said almost nostalgically, "I even studied there."

"Oh, really? Where did you go to school?" Maddie asked as she took a dainty bite of her food.

"Nutjob University," Danny mumbled to himself. He winced when a foot stomped down on his. He wasn't sure if it was Technus' or his mothers but it hurt all the same.

"Harvard actually." Technus said politely, fully enjoying talking about himself.

The morning continued like this and Danny kept shoving food in his mouth everytime he was spoken to so he'd have an excuse not to talk. He kept slouching down in his chair as the continue about one of his archnemises went on.

"Say, why don't you and Danny do something today?" Jack offered suddenly.

"What?" Danny and Technus asked in unison.

His mom smiled brightly, "What a great idea! You could take some time to get to know eachother better."

"I have plans with sam and Tucker." Danny reminded them, "Remember? We're going to the pier?"

"Take him with you," Jack said pointing with his fork, "This guy obviously went out ofhis way to come and see you so it's the least you can do."

Danny huffed in defeat and left the kitchen. Technus excused himself before following the boy to his room. Danny didnt see him do it but he could sence the ghost following him. He waited in the door way for his biological father to catch up.

"You're a better actor than I thought you'd be."He said with half lidded eyes.

"I'm full of surprises." Technus told him smugly as he came to a stop in front of the boy, "So what's at the pier?"

"Games, rides... It's the carnival. You remember that right?" Danny said recalling the incident when Technus had hooked him up with Valerie. That was probably the only time he secretly thought Technus was cool.

"Ah yes. The angry ghost hunting girl. Whatever happened to her?" Technus asked, but it was obvious he dint really care.

"She moved to Salem. Apparently there's a lot of supernatural activity over there so she went to take care of it," Daniel explained with a shrug.

"Well that's too bad. I was hoping I could meet her," Technus smirked.

Danny returned the look, "Trust me. She's not your type."

Technus stared for a moment before laughing, "Haha! Funny. " His smile disapered quickly, "Look, ghost chi- Danny... I am making an effort."

"And I'm touched," Danny said sarcastically, "But this is awkward enough without you hanging out with my friends and family. You agreed to stay another day?"

"They offered." Technus said bladly.

The halfa growled in his throat, "Whatever. And fine, you can come with me. But if you step out of line you're going back in the thermos!"

"Deal," Technus extended his green gloved hand to his son and Danny took it tightly.

"Deal," Danny smirked as he froze Technus' hand solid. That was just a warning.

At the pier Sam and Tucker were already waiting. Danny touched down on the wooden planks. They greeted him happily but their faces flushed when Technus landed behind the boy. The mad scientist raised his hand in a small wave to greet them.

"Um, Danny, are you sure it's a good idea to bring him? Tucker whispered to the ghost teen.

"No but I don't really have a choice." Danny mumbled back.

"what does one do at a place such as this?" Technus asked looking toward the carnival.

"You've never been to a carnival?" Danny raised one black brow at the older ghost male.

"Not since I was a boy... The entertainment has changed since then." Nicolai said, watching the people move in herds around their little group.

"Well let's get going before the lines get too long." Sam said thumbing toward the entrance of the fair.

Danny followed after her not worrying if the man was behind him or not. If technus got lost it was his own fault.

As awful as Danny thought the day would be he actually had fun with Technus there. At first it was awkward because Technus was so many levels of uncool but he got into the spirit of things eventually. They just had to keep him from refering to everything as "far out" or "Stellar". After an hour or so Danny started to actually enjoy technus' company. He was just as imature as the teens were so it wasn't like they were hanging out with their parents (even though one of them technically was). The master of technology started joining in on the games and was actually doing well in them. Danny was sure he'd used his powers to rig the machines. But who cared? They were getting cool prizes! The entire day was just full of nonstop action as they rode rides and played games. Whenever they paused Technus always had a question about life during this time perioud and the teens were more than hapy to give him their opinions and advice. Anything that helped them look less uncool for hanging out with a middle aged ghost.

"Hey, Technus." Tucker said tapping the ghost on the arm, "You think you can get a prize out of those claw machines?"

Nicolai shrugged, "Worth a shot." He handed his drink off to Danny and pulled some quarters from his coat pocket. Danny didn't want to ask where he got the money.

The teens sickered to themeselves because they knew the machines were impossible to win. Technus would be there forever. Danny watched in good humor as technus put 50 cents in the game. To all of their surprise he came back moments later with a pink bear in hand.

"How did you...?" Danny asked with slightly wide eyes.

"I calculated the best angle for grasping the toy." Nicolai explained. He handed off the stuffed animal to Tucker, "Here. Give it to a girl. I hear they like those."

"Good idea!" Tucker said with a grin, "Maybe Star would like it."

"Yeah. When Skulker goes Vegan," Danny retorted sarcastically earning a laugh from Sam an surprisingly Technus. Danny had always thought he and Skulker were friends.

"I'll be right back. I want to try another" Technus said and excused himself from the group.

"Well, I will admit," Sam started, "This isn't as bad as I thought it would be."

"Yeah," Tucker agreed, "For an old guy Technus is kinda okay... For an evil ghost anyway."

Danny laughed, "I hate to say it, but I kind of agree. He was pretty decent all day."

"Even you have to admit it," Tucker smiled at him, "Technus as your old man could be kinda cool."

Danny frowned slightly but didnt really know why. He hated the idea of calling Technus dad but judging on how likable the ghost could actually be maybe it wasn't a totally awful idea.

"I'm back," Nicolai piped up, now holding a device in a plastic case. By the looks of it it was an

"You won an iPhone?" Sam asked loudly, "But those things are impossible to get out of the machines!"

"Not for the master of technology," Technus bragged holding up the touch screen device. He looked at it for a moment then held it out to Danny.

The seventeen year old eyed him curiously. Was he being given the phone voluntarily? Technus never gave away any technology. Danny took it slowly and looked it over. His first instinct was to think that Technus was just trying to by him off. But how could he be mad? He had an iphone! He resisted the urge to hug the man instead he just beamed.

"Thanks, Technus!" he practically yelled.

Nicolai slapped him on the shoulder lightly, "Forget about it, child. We should probably leave before your parents get worried."

Danny looked at his watch. It was already 7:00 at night? Wow time really flew.

"Oh, wow. We really should head back." He agreed before turning to Tucker and Sam, "You guys want a lift home?"

"I call the fun one!" Tucker shouted stepping over by Technus.

Sam sighed and shook her head just before Danny gripped her hand and lifted into the air. He lifted her bridal style then looked back to make sure Technus had tucker. The technopath had the geek on his back like a child. Not that Tucker minded. Tucker had admitted to Danny in secret that he would have thought Technus was awesome if he had been a good guy. The two ghosts flew into the sky with ease. Danny enjoyed the wind in his face so he always flew close to the clouds.

After Tucker and Sam were saftely deposited at their homes, the father and son flew back to Fenton works. Danny and Technus simply phased through the front door and landed on the floor of the living room.

"Welcome back boys." jack said looking up from the TV, "Have fun."

"Actually... Yeah." Danny admitted, finding himself smiling at the master of technology sincerly, "He's not too bad once he stops trying to be cool."

"And you are not so bad once you stop acting too big for your britches," Technus smirked down at him pulling out another 'old people' term.

"I'm glad you enjoyed yourselves." Danny's mom said as she entered the room. She had the home phone in one hand, "Danny while you were out a man called asking to speak to you. He said his name was... Walken... Walker?"

"Walker called?" Danny asked wondering how the guy even got his number. Oh, who was he kidding? He rpobably found it out when he was hiding inside Dash's body.

"He asked me to tell you to go see him tomarrow." Maddie explained calmly, "Something about not filing your reports..?"

Danny slapped his hand to his forehead. Right... The papers were still on Danny's desk where he left them.

"Alright, thanks mom." He said before walking up the staircase and to his room. Technus stayed downstairs and divulged everything that they had done today. Ghost powers aside though.

Danny shut his bed room door and flung himself onto his bed. Just when he was aving a nice day Walker had to ruin it... It was just the reports though.. What's the worst that could happen?

**I think everyone knows that those words can only mean trouble. Tune in next time for the next installment!**


	11. Brawl

**Thanks to all who've reviewed. I'll try and fix the errors but believe it or not these chapters have been spell checked... Shocking I know. But there are some typos that spell check doesn't pick up and there are a lot of words that aren't really words that it always tries to get. But I will do better I promise. :)**

/DP/

"Six cases of loitering. Five trespassers and..." Walker squinted at Danny messy writing as he read the reports, "disturbing the peace...?"

Danny nodded as he absent mindedly dusted off his white vest. He forced himself not to be rude and yawn but it was eight in the morning and he was up late with his family. The night before they had a Street Fighter tournament to see who could win the most times in a row. Danny won, naturally, but as a result he was up till one and lost a few hours of sleep.

"Well kid, I'm almost impressed," walker said in a tone that said otherwise, "I didn't expect you to really report any crimes."

The Halfa smiled slightly, "Thanks I guess.. Can I go now?"

"Not quite." The warden drawled in his thick accent, "I have a rule breaker I need your help with."

"Who is it this time? Desiree? Johnny 13?" Danny almost wanted it to be the second choice so he could get back at the blond for laughing at him.

"Not quite." Walker replied with a suppressed chuckle, "Actually it is a ghost INSIDE my prison."

Daniel cocked his head to the side, "Who's breaking the rules in here?"

Walker stood from his desk, letting the reports slap down on the metal desk. He walked over to the barred window and gazed out it with a glare. Danny was curious so he walked over to see what the boss was looking at. Out in the 'yard' a bunch of ghosts were rolling on the ground in a rage. Fists were flying in all directions. At the center of the brawl was Skulker, who had once again been arrested for hunting in an unauthorized zone.

"Skulker... Why am I not surprised?" Danny frowned and looked up at the superior officer, "What do you want ME to do about it?"

"His new metal body is resistant to our restraints. He must have built it from real world materials," the ghost warden growled, "We only got him in here because we caught him off guard."

"But now you can't stop him." Danny finished.

Walker turned to him, green eyes narrow as usual. He nodded curtly and held up one of the green night sticks that the guards used.

"Wear him down and subdue him." Walker ordered,"As much as I hate to admit it you're the only one who can."

Danny gave a small but confident smile and took the green weapon. He strapped it to his belt securely.

"I'll see what I can do." He told the other before turning away and going to the door.  
>"You better not lose, boy." Walker warned.<p>

"Never do." Danny called back as he walked out of the office and down the dank hall.

Since he'd arrived he'd managed to memorize the whole interior of the prison. Give or take a few rooms. When he wasn't busy or on patrol he was walking around the corridors and the blocks of cells. It gave him some sick satisfaction that everyone he hated had been in there at least once.

Danny decided to pick up his pace and hurried down to the yard where the fight was taking place. When he arrived he found Skulker holding an officer in a half Nelson. The hunter was laughing twistedly as he picked up the ghost and threw him into the crowd of on lookers. Danny glared and hovered over, crossing his arms.

"You never learn do you, Skulker?" He asked with feigned disappointment.

The techo-hunter looked up at him and gave a toothy grin, "hello whelp! I was hoping I might find you in here."

"Well you know how I hate to inconvenience you," Danny replied sarcastically as he touched down in front of the bulky machine, "Now what do you say you calm down and go to your cell?"

Skulker laughed loudly, "oh please, ghost child! What makes you think you can tell me what to... Do."

The trouble makers eyes landed on the badge pinned to Danny's uniform. Since Skulker was so busy always hunting and upgrading his body it didn't surprise the boy that he hadn't heard about Danny's new occupation.

"Changed sides have you?" Skulker frowned, "Why doesn't that surprise me?"

Danny ignored the comment and said, "Last warning, Skulker. Go to your cell."

"Why don't you make me, Whelp!" A rocket launcher rose from an opening in the bad ghosts shoulder and fired at the ghost boy. Danny barely managed to get a shield up to block it but the power of the explosion knocked him backwards. He was caught by one of the armor clad guards who was standing by helplessly.

Danny glared up at the ghost, "You didn't take his weapons?"

He got a nervous smile and shrug in response. Danny heaved himself off of the ghost and flew at Skulker at full speed, knocking the bulky male over. Danny grasped the rocket launcher and rouchly yanked it away from Skulkers body. He knew it wouldnt hurt so why bother being gentle. Skulker roared angrilly and his fist collided hard with the side of Danny's face. The boy fell backward in shock from the blow, blood trickling from his busted lip.

"Nice shot, skuler." Danny said with a light hearted laughed, "Wanna see mine?"

He summoned up a ball of energy and unleashed it on the hunter, throwing him backwards. Skulker landed on his back, the bang echoing off of the buildings. Danny formed his ice energy in his palms and fired it at the trophy hunter, encasing him in solid ice. Skulker was stuck in a state of shock, his glowing eyes wide and his mouth agape. Danny gave the smallest of smirks before turning to look up at the Warden's office window seeing Walker watching him there. He became confused when the man just pointed. Danny cocked his head and looked back to see the ice melting away into water around the metal form.

"Nice try, chost child," Skulker said with a mocking smile, "But my new body is resistant to most attacks."

Danny ground his teeth frustratedly and thought about any of his powers that might work. There was always the Ghostly Wail but that would probably knock down a good portion of the prison. An idea passed through his mind breifly.. But it could never work... But then again, Skulker was only really a tiny ghost inside a metal body. It wasn't his real ghostly form... So why _couldn't_ Danny take it over?

Danny leaped foreward, his legs turning into a ghostly tail as he charged at the hunter. He turned intangible and entered the metal body with easse. As he thought Skulker hadn't prepared for an assault like this so there was no defence against it. Inside the body was dark but had this eerie electrical glow all around him. The boy could feel the power of the machine in his veins and his mind could see evrything that was going on inside it so vividly. It was like he_ was _the body.

"Hey! Get out of me, whelp!" Skulker grunted as he tried to mentally force the halfa out. His demands halted when suddenly his body locked up and stopped moving at his will, "W-What's happening?"

"You may be a ghost Skulker, but your body isn't" Danny taunted inside from inside the mechanism. He willed the machine to raise one fist and swing it powerfully, colliding hard with Skulkers face. And since the small ghost form the unter really was was in that part of the body, it hurt him. Finding humor it it, Danny repeats the motion.

"Ow! Stop that!" Skulker demanded, "I am the Ghost Zone's greatest hunter not a puppet!"

Danny laughed as he forced the hunter to attack himself and demolish his own body. He focused his mind on the weaponry in the body he possesed and immdeiately Skulker was forced to remove it and destroy it. Using Skulkers much larger hands as his own he reached up and grasped the angular head. With a twisting motuion it was pulled off at the neck and tossed carelessly away.

With that done and Skulker now compltely helpless Danny exited the body and let it fall. He walked over to the discarded head and picked it up. The face was glaring at him in a very pissed off fashion.

"You will pay for this whelp," Skulker threatened.

"I'll keep that in mind," Danny said as he pulled open the front of the face and revealed the tiny green blob of a ghost inside. He pulled him out and dropped the metal can to the ground. Turning to a guard he held out the pathetic specter, "Here. You won't even need to cuff him. I think a fish tank should hold him."

The guard grinned menacingly at the tiny ghost and carried Skulker away to a low security cell block. Bullet, who Danny rarely saw during his time here approached with a smug smile. The boy was really wishing the guy wore a shirt because talking to the guy was awkward and kind of hard to look at him.

"You did good kid," He told danny with a pat on the back, "With any luck you'll be out there rangling up the big boys in no time."

The halfa laughed nervously, "Eheh.. No thanks. I'm perfectly content being the, er.. Snitch."

Bullet laughed in his throat, "Sure you are kid. But once you get a taste of action in the feild you'll be running back for more."

"We'll see about that." Danny crossed his arms and gave an almost playful smirk at the second in command of the prison, "In the meantime I have some serious chilling out to do."

"Hey, why don't you 'chill' here?" Bullet offered, "Me and the boss are going to his place to play some cards. It's not very often we get down time but we make time for our monthly poker game."

Danny stared in near shock. He'd been invited to... hang out with Bullet and Walker. The scary part was that Danny was actually _considering _it!

" But I hardly know you. Would Walker even be okay with that?" He questioned in disbelief.

"He and I aren't exactly best friends, kid. We just get along for the sake of work," Bullet explained, "I'm sure he wouldn't have too much of a problem with you as long as you don't make a problem of yourself."

Danny mummed thoughtfully. This had possibilities...

"Alright. If you can get Walker to say yes then I'll go. But only for a couple of hours it's taco night back home," Danny said with a smile.

"Alright. You wait here. I'll go butter up the boss," The oddly colored ghost said before turning away and heading toward Walker's office.

Danny smirked and shook his head as he walked toward the employee lounge to get some coffee to refresh himself. This had been an interesting day so far and there was no doubt that it would only get more so as it progressed.


	12. On kind of good terms

**You play Chess with Death and fiddle with the Devil so what do you do with Walker? You play poker! LOL It was an idea that had been kicking around in my head for a while and now I can use it.**

***looks self over* Nope still not Butch Hartman. I don't own Danny phantom.**

If there was a word for how odd this was Danny would use it to describe spending is down time with Walker. First of all, he was in shock that the jailer had even agreed to let him go. Walker HATED Danny and had tried to do him in several times. Even after Danny Phantom saved the world the stuffy Warden only continued to hound him.

The afternoon started with Danny waiting in the lounge drinking his coffee. He wasn't there barely ten minutes before Bullet and Walker arrived. He was told to come on and he followed the ghosts out. Danny wasn't at all surprised to see that Walker had his own squad car. It was all white, no shock there, with grey letters on the side reading G.Z.P.D. It looked sort of like an old model of Mustang. If it weren't a cop car Danny would have actually liked it. And the inside was even nicer. Black leather interior with white accents. Badass.

Danny rode in th back, buckled in tight with the elder ghost in the front seats talking about something that the boy didn't understand as they drove. Apparently some one was being an asshole and Bullet was trying to convince Walker to deck them. But doing that was "against the rules".

After a few minutes of them Walker turned on the radio to, of course, Johnny Cash. A Country Boy can Survive. Danny sat back against the seat and watched out the window as he rode along. It was weird to be in any other vehicle than the Specter Speeder. And being the passenger no less.

"So, kid, what kind of classes are you taking?" Walker asked, making light conversation.

Danny thought for a moment before answering, "Algebra two, English four, wood shop, law studies and psychology. Then I have a free period."

"Law studies, eh? What are you learning in there?" Walker inquired glancing at the teen in the rear view mirror. Danny could see it but he was sure the jailer was smirking.

"The Lindenburg baby trial." Danny said with a shrug, "So far we've only seen the movie about it." Now that Danny thought about it the people in that movie dressed pretty similar to Walker. Maybe he was alive back then and could help the halfa with the paper he had to write on it.

"Oh yeah. 'The crime of the century'" Walker mused as he slowly turned the steering wheel to change direction. Coincidentally that was also the name of the movie, "I remember that."

"Its totally boring," Danny sighed with a slouch of his shoulders.

"You just aren't looking at it right, son," the warden stated, "think about it like those comic books you read so actually really gripping."

Bullet scoffed, "As gripping as ransoming a dead baby can get,"

Danny laughed a bit then stopped as he felt the car slowing down. He looked around to see the new landscape of a house he'd never seen before. There was a grey path that looked something like gravel leading to an old looking farm house made from what looked like wood but had a greenish glow like everything else in the Ghost Zone. Was this where Walker lived? Danny imagined him living a more... Prison like place. Not a calm cottage with a white wooden fence and a small field of trimmed grass. The car was parked at the end of the path and Danny got out with the others.

"You live HERE?" Danny asked staring at the white suited ghost.

"Did you think I lived in the prison?" Walker responded with an almost friendly smirk.

"Well... Yeah..." 

Walker lead Daniel and Bullet up the steps and unlocked the solid wood door to let them in. Danny was almost afraid to go in, his slightly cynical mind thinking Walker had set a trap for him... Even if this wasn't even a planned get together.

"Well make yourself at home" walker told him as he stripped off his white coat and hung it on a coat rack that looked suspiciously like antlers.

Danny pulled of his black hat and brushed his white locks from his face. Examining his surroundings he saw that Walker was a bonified country man. There were leather throws on the couch and chairs and there was even a set of bull horns above the stone fireplace. There was no TV only an old fashioned radio and a small bookshelf. Walking closer to read the titled Danny saw that there were both crime stories and just about every Mark Twain novel. There was an over all southern theme to the everything Danny could see.

"Like it Phantom?"

Danny turned around to see walker looking over his head at the book shelf thoughtfully.

"All of this came with me when I became a resident of the ghost zone. It was my life and my afterlife," he sighed running his gloved fingers over the bindings of the books, "my favorite book though, you won't find here."

Taking a shot in the dark (sarcasm) Danny asked, "Your rule book?"

Walker looked down at him with a curt nod, "I started it when I was alive. Then I came here..."

Danny watched the older ghost in bewilderment. This was a side of the warden Danny never knew existed. The side that was actually a man. The side that had sentiment and emotion. What the halfa had grown used to was the side of him that didn't care about anything or anyone for that matter.

"Come on. I'll show you to the den." Walker mumbled rubbing his brow tiredly.

Danny followed closely behind, taking in everything he saw. There was almost nothing on the walls execpt the occasional decoration. But right before the entrence to the large den there was a picture frame. It hung right beside the door and on the bottom of the frame were the words, "Forever and for always". Danny couldn't really make out the picture through the layer of dust on the glass but it looked like there were two people standing. One much smaller than the other. A woman. He reached up and swiped sonme of the dust away with his thumb.

In the black and white photo there was a handsome man and a beautfiful young woman. She was seated on an old wood fence and the man had his hands on her petite shoulders. The girl had long curly hair that layed on her back against the sun dress she was wearing. The man was a tall muscular type with light colored hair that was swooped to one side in a very out of date were smiling fondly at each other with an emotion that was clearly love in their eyes. Danny couldn't help but wonder why the guy in the picture looked so familiar.

"Hey, kid you coming or what?" BUllet called, now seated at the poker table with a beverage in hand that he'd gotten from Walker's ice box..

Danny pulled his gaze away fromt he photo and walked over to them. He was tempted to ask who those people were but he had the feeling that Walker wouldn't be very open to telling him about his personal life. Especially since they had such a questionable past.

Danny took a seet at the table in silence and without another minute the three began their game. Danny had played a couple times before but he'd never been particularly good at poker. It took him a little while to get into the swing of things. He even started to think he was good at the game. He took extra care not to bend or damaged Walker's playing cards. They were vintage and really expensive looking.

Bullet won the first, second and games and Walker accused him of hinding cards in his lap. Bullet of course denied it. Danny held in his laugh when the two began to debate the subject. He laugehd outloud when the cards bullet had indeed been keeping in his lap fell to the floor as the second-in-command stood to defend himself. Walker pointed with a loud, "Aha!" And revoked the chips Bullet had earned. Danny was suprised that Walker wasn't at all offended that Bullet had broken the rules in the game. He suspected it was from whatever it was they were drinking. It looked like beer cans from what Danny could tell but there were no brands on them to tell exactly.

Walker dealt out a fresh hand and danny examined his cards. He laid down the ones he wanted to exchange fir new ones and picked up the replacements. He was careful not to let the other two see what he hand even though the sharklike ghost was trying to look over his shoulder.

As they all set down their cards to show their hands, Bullet folding now that he didn't have his stash to boost his points. Danny proudly slapped down a full house which beat Walker's hand. The warden chuckled and pushed the chips in the middle of the table toward Danny who took them gladly.

"Don't get cocky, boy," Walker warned, but in a playful manner.

"I'm sorry, how many games have you won?" Danny jabbed back.

The warden just shook his head and didn't answer. He took another drink and collected his cards once again. He stacked them and began to shuffle them. Danny took this opportunity to look at his watch.

5:37 pm

"Oh man!" Danny shouted jumping up from the table, "I gotta go."

"Oh, come on! You just got the hang of it," Bullet said as he was handed his new cards, "One mroe game. Winner take all."

Danny looked toward the door and back again. If he left now he could make it home by dinner but they'd think he was a quitter.

"I've already been out later than I should have been." He told them nervously.

Walker shrugged, "You're already out. And you're with your boss."

Danny weighed the options in his head. He could always tell his mom that he was doing over time. Not that his mom would mind. And Technus wouldn't be able to do any real damage in another hour. He sat back down at the tbale and scooped up his new hand with a sigh.

"One more game."

It was nine o'clock by the time he got home. He snuck through the ghost portal and up through the ceiling. He looked around and didn't see anyone around but he heard the TV in the living room and his dad yelling at a ball game of some kind. Danny sighed, glad no one had been worried he was gone. He went quietly upstairs to avoid confrontation for being out later than usual. His curfew was midnight but his parents like some warning when he would be out late.

He'd eaten at the Warden's place so he wasn't hungry and didn't need to eat dinner. He streached his back tiredly as he entered his room. He was starting to feel the drain from that fight earlier. Overshadowing Skulker was a workout.

"You were gone for a while."

Danny whipped around to see Technus sitting on the edge of his bed, arms and legs crossed casually. His expression was blank but there was a hint of _something _there. Worry? Nah. Technus doesn't worry. He was probably just curious where Danny had been.

"Something came up." Danny said reverting back to human form, "Why do you care?"

"Your mother was worried." Technus stated dryly.

"A little bit of bad timing trying to play the father figure." Danny yawned loudly, "If you wouldn't mind moving I would like to go to bed. I have school tomarrow."

"Where were you?" Technus asked, ignoring the request.

Danny groaned, "I was working. Doing stuff with Bullet and Walker."

Technus flatted his mouth into a fine line, "Ah... Well next time call your mother. She talked my ear off about how urgent your boss sounded on the phone and how something could have happened to you."

Maybe Danny's mom worried more about him that Danny initially thought.

"Well, I'm back now, okay?" Danny frowned just wanting the ghost to leave his room.

Technus sighed quietly and stood from the bed. He straitened out the blanket where he had been sitting and floated soundlessly over to Danny. He placed a hand on the boys small shoulder and stared at him intently for a moment.

"You've been in contact with very high-tech machinery." He said a smirk starting to creep onto his lips. Danny was about to ask how he knew that when Technus anwered, "I am the master of technology. I can sence when a ghost has used a power like my own."

"I am not like you!" Danny snapped pulling his shoulder away, "I was just taking down Skulker."

"By taking over his technological body..." Technus pieced together quickly, "Clever boy... Inventing and possessing technology. Maybe you are my son after all.."

"Just get out," Danny demanded pushing past him, "I'm way too tired to put up with you."

"Very well. See you in the morning, Danny."

The boy shuddered unnoticably. Hearing the villian call him by his real name was uncomfortable. It had been happening for a few days now but he still wasn't used to it.

But considering the circmstances there were a lot of things he would have to get used to in the near future.


	13. Devil and Angel

** Thank you for all of the reviews! 42 reviews in 12 chapters! :D That's 3.5 reviews per chapter! Thanks to everyone who told me what they thought!**

**Now the real action begins!**

Monday morning came too soon. The sun hurt Danny's sleepy eyes. The sounds of the school hallways were unwelcome to his ears. The teenager hadn't gotten to sleep until around midnight because Technus was bothering him all night. The ghost denied it that morning but Danny knew it was him. When the boy wasn't thinking about what hed been told the night before electrical devices were going off in his room. The table fan would spontaneously stop then start again. The light on Danny's cell phone would blink periodically like code. Technus was probably spying on him by possessing the technology in his room. Probably making sure he wouldn't get up and go anywhere. Eventually Danny fell asleep from exhaustion.

"So you have fun at work?" Tucker asked jokingly.

"Eh, could've been worse." Danny shrugged, "All I really did was fight Skulker."

"But you were there all day?" Sam raised a brow at him as they walked toward their class.

"I got caught up." Danny siad simply, "I swear you guys are as bad as Technus over this."

"I'm sure keeping you up all night spying is just his way of saying he cares," tucker joked.

"Speaking of being kept up all night," Sam started with a smirk, "you regret giving up your spot as 'the youngest mayor ever'?"

"Not at all!" Tuck sighed, "first every one was on my case because I'm not 18 yet then they wouldn't leave me alone about 'plans for the city'. It was a major pain."

"Yeah, well at least you didn't try and take over the world while you were in office." Danny laughed as he entered the class room.

"So, have you found anything new about Walker?" Sam asked, "I know you don't have to cover your trail anymore to fool Technus but you should probably keep it up for the other ghosts."

Danny walked to his desk and took his seat with a thoughtful hum. What HAD he learned. Walker was nostalgic, southern, mellow off the job, and potentially a drunk. When danny listed those things to his friends they stared at him in confusion. They had no idea what he was talking about. He hadn't really explained what had gone on the day before in full. He was afraid that if he told them they'd think he was turning into the enemy or something. Not that playing a calm game of poker with Walker was any worse than hanging out at the carnival with Technus. But it was the principle of the thing. Walker was way more of a threat to them than Technus ever was. The warden had a whole army of ghost minions to do his dirty work. Technus had toasters and other such nonsence.

Danny remembered that picture from Walkers wall and started wondering again who those people were. They looked so happy so why were they on the wall in Walker's house of all ghosts? He continued to silently ponder throughout class.

Danny went on with school as usual. He took notes in his classes and listened, none too enthusiastically, as the teachers spoke. But as he sat in his woodshop shop class his ghost sence went off. He looked around him quickly but didn't see anything. A loud shout from outside the school alerted him. Danny ran over to the window to look out it. He shouted and ducked out of the way when a magenta fireball rushed the window. The glass shattered, sparying sharp shards across the floor, scraping over Danny's explosed arms and face. They were minor scratches but nothing mortal.

Danny stood and turned to the other gaping students in the room.

"Get out of here!" He told them.

The quickly obliged, running and screaming all the way.

Danny turned back to the hole in the wall with a serios glare, "I'm goin ghost!" He transformed quickly and leaped from the window of the class room. He looked around in the mess left behind from whatever that was that attacked the school. The street was in a wreck and there were a couple of cars turned over but Danny couldn't spot the source.

"Long time no see, Daniel."

The boy looked around at the sound of the voice... It was familiar... Creepily so... But where...

Oh, no.

Danny was struck hard by an ecto blast and sent plummeting toward the ground. He landed on the pavement with a grunt. The road burned as he scrapped over it. But not as much as what had hit him. He sat up and looked up to where the blast had been fired. A blue skinned ghost grinned down at him with white fangs and glowing red eyes. HIs cape flapped behind him without wind and his black hair defind gravity on the top of his head in an almost hornlike shape.

Danny growled and stood with his fists clenched, "Plasmius."

Vlad narrowed his beady eyes at him menacingly, "Happy to see me?"

"What are you doing back on Earth?" Danny asked getting right to the point.

Plasmius raised a glowing hand in his direction and fired a poweful blast into the teens chest. Danny felt stupid for not dodging it. He tumbled back slightly but regained control, managing to stay in the air. He took a brave stance and confronted Vlad again.

"I don't know what you're doing back in Amity Park," Danny growled out, charging up his energy, "But you're going to wish you never came back!"

He blasted at the wannabe-tyrrant with a very powerful green beam. Vlad looked surprised at first but split himself in two to dodge the attack. He went back to grinning insanely after he fused back together.

"My, my, Daniel, You have grown powerful." Plasmius mocked, "But you still are no match for me. Three years in the void of space gave me a chance to further enhance my powers!"

The elder held both of his hands over his head and summoned up a very large ball of pinkish energy. With a roar he launched it at the teenager. Danny quickly raised a sheild to block the attack. The blast hit the shield but the force still managed to knock Danny back further.

The younger Halfa helds his hands out, palm first, and unleashed a beam of ice at his nemesis. It hit Vlad, knocking him into the building he had been floating in front of. The vampire-like man bared his fangs as his eyes flashed angrilly.

"I won't lose to you again! And since I have nothing to lose," He charged up an even more powerful sphere than before, "I have no reason to hold back!"

Danny gasped at the power before him. What had Vlad been _doing _in space? That energy ball was the size of like 2 big exercize balls and growing! Vlad never had that much power.

"Say goodbye Danny Phantom!" Vald laughed as he directed the glowing orb at the boy, shooting it with precision.

Danny put up the most powerful shield he could muster at the moment. Unfortunately doing that took a lot of energy. If he survived the blast he'd be too wiped out to put up a fight after wards... He cringed and prepared himself for impact.

The blow stuck his shield with enough magnitude to take out six Skulkers. Danny forced all of his power into his shield. After the initial strike energy continued to pound against it. It pushed him back with ease but he worked hard at keeping his power steady. There was no way he was going to lose to this whack job!

Danny gasped slightly as he started to feel himself being drained. Holding this shield like this was taking more and more out of him. And Vlad was continueing the assault without pause. This time the fight was serious. This time Plasmius planned to kill him! Little did Plasmius know, that was _so not _happening.

With the energy he had left he created a copy of himself. The clone flew up and above him to attack his assailant. Vlad was taken by surprise and was forced to stop his assault when ice encased his face. Danny was able to drop his shield and imediately fused back together with his clone to conserve energy. He looked tiredly up at Plasmius to see the ice slowly melting away from the beams he was fring from his eyes.

"Nice try, Daniel. But three years in the coldness of space had made me all but immune to your ice abilities," Vlad bragged, "And from the looks of things... You're far too tired to unleash that little scream attack of yours."

"It's called the ghostly wail," Danny corrected him, "And what makes you think I need it?"

Danny Phantom fired a beam of green energy at hsi foe hitting him directly in the gut. He continued to pummel the other ruthelessly with disks of ecto energy. He was hoping that the power he could manage would be enough to weaken Plasmius. The teen didn't stop until he was literally spent. Once he couldnt summon any more energy he slowly started to decend toward the ground in a slump.

His knees hit the pavement weakly and he put out his hands to hold himself up. He took long even breaths, not really wanting to look up to see if he'd managed to take the man down. This was pathetic. Vlad was over 40 and Danny was 17. He shoudln't be weaker than the other Halfa! But all of his ghost hunting and late nights were draining his batteries so to speak. Unable to hold his ghost mode anymore he was forced back to his human state. Now he was even more helpless.

Summoning up his courage he turned his eyes toward the sky to look at the damage. He hadn't seen or heard Plasmius fall so he must have still been up there... Right?... Apparently not. Vlad had vanished. He'd managed to teleport out at te last minute. Danny looked around to see if his archenemy was anywhere to be seen. Before he could look behind him he felt a large boot slam down on his back. With a shout of pain 'Phantom hit the road. He tried to push himself back up but the foot held him firmly in place. All he could manage was to turn his face to see Vlad standing over him with a sadistic grin.

"You know... I have no reason not to kill you now and get this over with," Plasmius taunted him sickly slamming the toe of his boot into Danny's ribs, "Since now I have no chance at getting Maddie to come away with me it doesn't matter what I do to you."

"Dude, she wasn't interested before she knew you were part ghost," Danny spat back recieving a sharp kick in the face.

Vlad forced his heel into the ghost boys cheek, shoving his head into the hard ground. Small rocks and dirt ripped at the small cuts already on his face fromt he broken monster laughed evily and Danny could see the red glow of Vlad's ghost powers above him. His vision had started to become blurry so he didn't know how much there really was.

"This is the end for you, Danny Fenton." Vlad told him in a dark tone, "Say hello to everyone for me once you're a permenant resident of the Ghost Zone."

Just as the sentence finished danny was struck in front of the head and the foot was removed from his face. But surprisingly the blow only glanced over his hair, cutting off some of his hair. Danny looked back curiously to see why Vlad had messed up. He was only like a foot away.

Or was he... Vlad had been attacked by an outsider and forced away from Danny. Too weak to get up and look Danny remained in the laying position. He tried to pull himself froward across the ground but it was no good. He wouldn't make any progress like this.

He flinched as he felt a pair of hands slip under his arms and lift his upper body. He was rolled over and pulled to the edge of the sidewalk and propped up against a mailbox limply. He tried to make out who had moved him but all he could see was a blurry black blob. A _tall _blurry black blob.

"Wh-Who's there?" He asked squinting.

He relaxed slightly when the figure ran a large but gentle hand over his face. The form shushed him quietly as they caressed his face tenderly. It didn't feel like skin so who ever it was was wearing gloves. His hair was brushed off of his forehead and he could feel the fingers lightly inspecting his injuries. His eyelids were lifted and a green light was shined into them for a brief moment.

"How dare you!"

Danny groaned hearing Vlad's voice. Ah great. He was still standing.

"Who do you think you're dealing with!" Vlad shouted clearly pissed off at who ever was helping Danny.

The hand left danny's face and the teenager was actually sad to have it go. He unconciously whined and tried to sit up. He was gently layed back against the mail box. The black blob moved out of his sight and toward, what Daniel assumed was the direction Plasmius was in.

There were the sounds of blasts being fired and shouts of pain echoing through the streets. Things were being broken in the cross fires and with all the extra noise Danny couldn't tell who had come to his rescue. Was it his mom? No her hands were too small. Sam and Tucker, no they wouldn't stand a chance and neither of them were tall enough. Had Valerie come back? ... Danny's luck wasn't that good.

Danny was snapped from his thoughts when a loose tire flew past his head. He ducked down to prevent any more debri from flying at him. He heard the sound of electric shocks and Vlad screaming in agony. It stopped after five seconds or so leaving a faint sizziling sound in it's place

"I will not lose to a loser like you!" The elder Halfa grunted out through the obvious pain he was in, "Why are you even helping the little rat?"

There was another much more powerful blast. Danny could see the green glow eminating from it from where he was laying. There was a loud agonized cry then the blast stopped. Only the thump of Vlad falling to the ground was heard after that. It was a ghost helping him? But his ghost sence hadn't gone off... Was he too weak for even _that _to work?

Danny listened intently waiting for the silent figure to speak. he heard footsteps like heeled boots walking on the cement. There was a satisfied grunt and a few seconds later the shadow came back into view.

"Who are you?" Danny breathed out blinking with slightly dizzied eyes. He inhaled sharply as he was shifted.

"Relax. I have you." A surprisingly soothing male voice told him as an arm slipped under his legs and another under his back.

Danny was lifted off of the ground and leaned against the chest of the ghost holding him. He expected cold but actually this person was warm.. And that voice was familiar... His mind was swimming and he could place it. He could feel the pair of them lifting off of the ground and the wind on his cut face as they began to fly foreward. Danny could only assume this person was taking him home. At least he would hope so.

He tilted his head and saw the blue of the sky above him with patches of white that he could only imagine were clouds. He turned his head slightly to look at the face of the ghost he was being carried by but his eye lids were becoming too heavy to keep open. He let his head fall onto the body of the man holding him but didn't fall asleep. He managed to stay away to feel himself phase through a wall and be placed in a bed. There were the familiar smells of his house around him he was. He was in his room.

He forced his eyes open as he felt the ghost perch himself on the side of the bed. A familiar hand reached up to pet his hair softly. Danny wanted to thank him for saving his life but his brain was having trouble figuring out who it was. Vlad kicking him in the head must have given him a minor concussion.

"Thanks.." He whispered weakly as the hand stopped to simply rest on the top of his head.

"Mm-hm..." Was the quiet respnce. Then a tired sigh.

Danny took a chance and reached out to touch the arm of the person that was extended toward him. He smiled with the bit of energy he had left. He patted the limb slightly and felt a hand settle over his for a moment. Knowing his sign of affection had been accepted Daniel let his arm fall back across his body.

"I guess I owe you one," Danny laughed lightly.

There was a shrill chuckle in responce then, "I guess you do."

Danny was slightly surprised when the person pulled him up about half way to lightly kiss the top of his head. It was an almost.. paternal action. Then suddenly all of the pieces in Danny's mind clicked together and made sence.

"Technus?"

The man layed him back down and moved from the bed. Danny cringed in slight pain as his shoes were removed to make him more comfortable. He lifted his arms slightly as his shirt was tugged over his head and dropped on the floor. He could hear the ghost's pained reaction to all of the bruises Danny had accumulated. Technus lifted his head to prop his pillow up comfortably then gently placed him back on it. Danny would normally be freaked out by having the master of Technology this close to him but for some reason he prefered having him there. It relaxed him. After all the guy did just save his life.

Danny was covered as the blanket he was laying on top of was phased through him then came to rest on top of his body. The gloved hand rested on his for a moment before he heard Technus start to walk away.

"Why?"

Danny had to know. Why now? Why would Technus save him after all Danny had done to him in the past.

There was a long period of silence. Maybe technus didn't know either...

"Get some rest. I will return in a few minutes to patch you up."

Danny sighed at the lack of an answer. But he didn't really have much of a choice. He heard the footsteps walk to the door and heard Technus open the door and walk out. But it didn't close immediately. Danny tilted his head on his pillow and could see the dark form of Technus still standing there, hand on the knob.

"Night." he said with a slightly joking tone.

Once again no immediate reply. But he could have sworn that after a moment there was the quiet reply of:

"Goodnight, son."


	14. Parental bonding

**Oh my god! Thank you every one!I got more reviews for that last chapter than any before! Thank you all so much! That made me feel all warm inside ^^ Hopefully you will continue to review and tell me what you think but if not thank you for what you've already contributed.**

Danny had managed to fall asleep after his rescuer left the room. His dream was of everything he'd encountered since knowing the truth of his origins. From finding out Technus was his real father to the fight with Vlad only minutes ago... Or at least it only felt like minutes. But Danny's mind seemed to always focus on Technus. All of their conversations every word they'd ever spoken together came back in a rush. All of the hate and disdainthat they had shown toward eachother had come full circle and become acts of kindness. Technus would have killed him on that lab table had Danny not told him the truth. A year before Technus would have left him to die at Vlad's hands. But he didn't. He saved Danny's life...

Danny groaned as his body was shifted. His thoughs were broken and his blue eyes opened slowly. He was being rolled onto his side and guaze was being applied to a cut he didn't even know he had on his shoulder. He looked around his room and found that his vision was still blurred. He reached up to rub his eyes and his hand was swatted away.

"Don't move," He was told.

"Technus, what are you doing?" He asked trying to turn around to see the man.

"Your parents are out so I am tending to your injuries," Technus replied in a mellow tone.

Danny idly licked his dry lips remembering everything that had happened. His dream had kept the images viid in his mind.

"You saved my life..." Danny said slowly, "Why would you do that?"

"Did you not want me to?" The ghost asked flatly.

"No, it's not that... It's just that..." The injured boy stopped, trying to think of what he really wanted to say.

"I could have been rid of you forver..." Technus said as he rolled Daniel back onto his back, "IS that it? You think I would have prefered to see you die?"

Danny looked up at the blurry form of the Master of Technology, kind of regretting bringing it up.

"Something like that..." He responded quietly.

Technus chuckled quietly and Danny could see him shake his head slowly as he reached for something else. Danny caught a glimps of something black in the ghosts hands when it came back into view. And that reminded him to ask why he couldn't see.

"What's wrong with my eyes?" He asked, concerned he may be going blind.

"Nothing serious." Nicolai responded. Danny could hear a soft clicking noise. Like Tuckers glasses when he opened them. "I fixed them but you may want to wear these when you go out in the sun.

Something cold and glass was put in the palm of the boys hand and Danny raised it to his face to see what it was. He had to squint to see it. They were a pair of black shades kind of like Technus' own.

"Uh.. Thanks..." Danny mumbled as he hesitantly slipped them on. Surprisingly they improved his vision slightly. Now he could make out shapes and faces clearer. It made him think they were actually prescription sun glasses.

"Not bad." Technus cackled, "You look like me more everyday."

Danny frowned but the idea wasn't as deplorable as it had been the night before. He just sighed and made himself more comfortable. He could feel bandages places through out his body and was trying not to rip them off on accident.

Then a thought occured to him.

"What happened to Vlad?" He asked a little louder than he intended. His heart rate sped up at the thought of Vlad coming to kill him again.

"Relax, child, I took care of him." Technus assured him with a smile, "I left him on the doorstep of Walkers prison."

Danny smirked at the idea of Plasmius is ghost jail. He was, once again pulled from his train of thought when his hair was pushed compltely from his face and pulled behind his head. He winced slightly at the tugging. He felt his black hair get pulled into a tight ponytail and an elastic band was snapped around it.

"What are you doing?" He asked as his head was released.

"Keeping your hair out of your face what does it look like?" Technus answered with a strait face, "unless you want anti-bacterial ointment in your hair."

Danny slumped down on his pillow slightly. He hated having his hair back already. It reminded him uncomfortably of his evil older self. And having an evil biological father could possibly openn that door again. He shivered as cold ointment was applied to his face by an even colder hand. Technus had taken his gloves off when Danny wasn't paying attenion. He waited patiently for Technus to finish then he immediately sat up. He had to call Sam and Tucker to make sure they were okay.

Technus huffed and grabbed his shoulders, "I told you not to move."

Danny frowned at him, "I have to check on my friends."

"They came over as soon as the fight ended." Technus explained cooly, "I told them they could stay until you woke up. They are probably gaming down in the lab. They are unharmed."

Danny smiled, happy his friends hadn't been harmed in the cross fire, "You know, for an evil ghost bent on world domination, you turned out to be an almost okay father." He pushed himslef off of the bed and stood. He popped his back and headed to his dresser to find a new shirt. He pulled out a black tank top and casually slipped it on, being careful of his injuries. He heard Technus laughing and turned around.

"What?" He asked rasing a brow at his father.

"You." Technus sighed, "I'm just laughing at how stubborn you are."

"Like you're any one to talk." Danny crossed his arms over his chest. He felt a twinge of pain in his ribs and dropped his arms again.

The Master of Technology stood and walked over to him. Danny eyed him for a minute before the ghost smiled almost fodly at the ghost child.

"You know... For a cocky teenage half breed... You aren't such a bad son." Technus stated reusing the line Danny had said minutes before.

Danny smiled and found himself hugging the much taller male, "Thanks."

He hugged Technus! And he didn't throw up! Technus had noticed it too because he stared at him in shock for a moment. The green skinned man then smilled and patted the boys now tamed hair. But after a moment the ghost cleared his throat awkwardly and gently pushed Danny off of him.

"Since you're up you may as well go tell your friends you are alright." Technus said flatly, "They were very worried."

Danny chewed his bottom lip and nodded, "Right... Thanks again."

"Don't mention it." Technus mumbled back, putting his hands in his coat pockets.

Danny left the room quickly and limped down the stairs. He went strait to the lab and found Tucker and Sam on the computers playing the latest version of Doomed that Danny had gotten a week or so ago. They heard him enter and turned. They grinned and hopped up from their seats, letting their characters get killed by doing so.

"Danny! You're okay!" Sam embraced him tightly.

"OW!" Danny shouted pushing her back off.

"Sorry," She told him with a nervous smile.

"We saw the whole fight!" Tucker announced, "Practically the whole school did."

Danny slouched his shoulders, "Great... The whole school saw me get my butt handed to me."

"Well... Not only that." Sam added, "The whole school saw Technus save your life..."

Danny's eyes went wide, "They did?"

"Yeah..." Tucker said with a nod, "Some of them started talking about you being a traitor and stuff like that.."

"Great." Danny sighed, "Any _other _bad news?"

The other teens exchanged a nervous glance.

"Well..." Sam started, "The Box Ghost just happened to be in the area at the time..."

"And?" Danny asked, a horrible feeling starting to grow in his gut.

"He kind of... Told the other ghosts about it..." Tucker finished for Sam, "We've already had to force ghosts back through the portal who were coming to taunt you about it."

Danny groaned in aggrivation. This was just perfect! Now every one knew that Technus and Danny had some kind of partnership going on and they saw _Technus _of all ghosts have to come to his rescue! When Danny got his hands on the Box Ghost he would-

"Your hair looks nice."

Danny looked at Sam's sudden comment, "Oh.. Uh, thanks. Technus tied it up."

"Looks good," Sam stated reaching out to touch his hair with a smile, "Makes you look more masculine and serious. Especially with the shades."

"And now we can see your eyes." Tucker added with a smirk, "Or, sunglasses in this case."

Danny laughed and moved to a chair to have a seat. He sat with a grunt of pain and stared up toward the top of the stairs.

"Technus I know you're up there." He called out and the ghost suddenly became visible.

"Forgive me for snooping. Habit." Technus said with a nervous shrug.

Danny swiveled the chair around to face the computer he was at. He smirked and turned to the group of teens and a ghost.

"Any one up for a game?" He offered, "Winner gets the first crack at the Box Ghost."

The other three grinned and took their places at repective computers. Or in Technus' case _in _a computer. It was an unfair advantage but it was the only way the elder knew how to play. Danny would have entered the game as well but he was in too bad of condition to go ghost. It didn't matter though. Even if The teenagers did lose, seeing Technus beat up the Box Ghost would still be hilarious.

And lose they did, to their embarassment. They went through the levels an when they got to level 10 Technus took them all out at once. The teens groaned in defeat and the ghost came out of the computer laughing like a lunatic.

"I, Technus, am victorious!" He boasted, "Now I will go find that obnoxious Box Ghost and give him a piece of my mind!"

"I wasn't aware you had any pieces left to give," Danny mocked, making the other two laugh and turning his chair around.

"Very funny," Technus said sarcastically as he went over to the control panel to open the portal.

"You sure this is a good idea?" Tucker asked with concern, "What about Walker?"

"What about him?" Danny asked, standing up slowly, "If he catches us I'll tel him I'm taking care of a problem ghost for him."

"What if he thinks Technus is the problem ghost and tries to arrest him?" Sam asked, not as concerned as Tuck but still a bit.

"Guys, come on. I can handle it." He told them as he joined Technus at the portal.

The three high school students loaded into the Specter Speeded and followed Technus into the Ghost Zone. Danny figured that Technus had some kind of ghost tracking device in his head that let him know exactly where to go. So they just tailed him.

Danny was keeping his eyes open fro Walker to make sure they hadn't actually drawn unwanted attention from him. Luckily working for the guy gave Danny some freedom to come and go from the Ghost Zone freely.

Suddenly Technus stopped outside a door and signalled for them to wait for him there. They parked the Speeder and acted as lookouts. Technus entered the door adn shut it behind him quietly. After a couple minutes there was a loud slam followed by shouts of pain that were obviously not from Technus. The door flew open again and the Box Ghost flew out.

Technus hovered out after him with a grin, "Didn't anyone ever tell you it's not nice to spread rumors?"

"YOu dare strike the terrifying Box Ghost?" The moron shouted pointing a convicting finger at Technus, "You shall pay for attacking-"

Technus rolled his eyes and fired a blast just strong enough to knock the Box Ghost back a foot or so. Danny took this opportunity to get out of the speeder and glided over to his father. They high fived quickly and Danny turned to the Box Ghost with an almost evil grin. Technus got the first shot, now the blabber mouth was all his.

"I am going to enjoy this." Danny said with a laugh as he managed to summon up a ball of energy in his human state.

He unleashed it on the Box ghost making the target yelp in pain and try to fly away. Danny inhaled and focused his eyes powers through his eyes. He fired the beam at the Box Ghost and frosze him solid. Danny floated over and smirked through the ice at the pathetic specter.

"Maybe now you'll keep your mouth shut, hm?" He taunted with a chuckle as he gave the block of ice a push, sending it floating off into the Ghost Zone to thaw out later.

Danile rejoined the rest of his group with a grin. He hopped in the speeder and sat between Sam and Technus, who decided to sit for the trip back. Sam joined her hand with his and Technus ruffled his hair slightly but not enough to mess it up.

"Felt good didn't it?" Technus asked humorously.

"Oh yeah," Danny sighed, "Now he has something else to tell every one."

"What? That Danny Phantom likes to seek petty revenge?" Sam asked with a smirk.

"That nobody messes with me and my dad," Danny stated putting an arm around Technus' shoulders almsot proudly.

Then it hit him what he'd actually said.

He'd called Technus... Dad.

He looked over the group who were as surprised as he was. Especially Technus, who was just staring at him. His black reflective eyes were slightly wider and his eye brows were raised.

"Your... What?" Technus asked, obviously unsure if he'd heard right.

"Uh... Does that bother you?" Daniel asked taking back his arm.

"Well, no... I just..." Technus stopped mid sentence then turned to look out the window with his arms crossed. Danny leaned forward to look at his face and he could definately see the conflict there.

"Did you mean it?" Tucker asked, from the drivers seat.

Danny looked to his best friend. He thought about it for a moment and realised that maybe he did. Technus had patched him u from his fight, taken care of him and waited up for him when he came home late. Technus _was _being his dad. He just never noticed it before...

"I guess I did." Danny said as he stared out the window...

He glanced over at Technus who was still silent and wasn't looking away from the window. Danny frowned slightly and sighed.

"Technus, look, if it bothers you I wo't say it again." He said almost sadly.

The ghost shook his head, "No. It is fine. I am just not used to it.."

Danny managed to force a smile and put a hand on the much older ghost's back,"That makes two of us."

Technus looked back at him with a half smile. He watched the boy for a moment then laughed. Danny lowered his eye brows and frowned at him.

"What?" He asked crossing his arms.

"I just realised that the Box Ghost probably didn't even recognise you!" Technus laughed.

Danny's eyes went wider forgetting that he'd been wearing shades and his hair was pulled back. No one in the Ghost Zone had seem him like that. Much less using his powers in human form.

"Well on the plus side now he thinks technus has some one new on his side."Sam pointed out with a small shrug, "Who knows. Maybe this will work out for you guys."

Danny laughed, "Maybe."

He heard Technus stop laughing with a small sigh and turned to see him relaxing against the seat. His father draped an arm over his shoulders in a relaxed fashion. Danny was a little put off by the action but he ignored it. This was the beginning of what was looking like a good future for them. The Box Ghost was frozen, Vlad was in ghost jail and Danny and Technus had finally crossed the line into being family. Now all danny had to do was not accidentally call Technus 'dad' again with Jack there.


	15. Interogation

**I would like to giev a special shout out to Anonymous who gave me a very kind review. I promise not to end the story too soon. Actually, this is only the beginning. There are many more adventures for the Father and son duo ahead. And who knows, I may split this into a second story later on if it works out for me. :) And I will be accepting ideas and suggestions for adventures you all think would be funny or nice to see them do together. Like things fathers do with their sons that you would like to see Danny and Technus do together. **

**Thanks again an dont hesitate to review :)**

Danny was starting to enjoy having the old gas bag around. Technus watched his back on the battle field and at school. When Danny was putting his books in his locker Dash was quietly sneaking up behind him with a water baloon full of home made slime. Danny was oblivious to this as the Jock stood behind him. As Dash raised the bag to drop it over Danny's head, technus invisibly reached out and smashed the balloon into the bully's face. Danny only turned to see Dash covered in green Ooz and laughed. He didn't know what had happened until he got home that afternoon.

As to not draw suspicion Technus was invisible most of the time. Silently helping the Halfa with his fights. He possed technology around him to make the lights go out so Danny could get an edge on his opponent or use a wire to trip them. Danny at this point knew exactly what was going on but played along. He was virtually unstoppable. It wasn't till he had to go to work that he had to leave Technus at home.

Luckily the secureness of Walker's prison had kept the gossip from getting in. No one had heard about Technus coming to save Danny and if they did they didn't bring it up. He wore his hair down when he went in to work so no one would know it was him who attacked the Box Ghost only days before. Because it was technically against the law word of that had gotten to Walker. The only thing that any one really seemed to notice was the pair of shades he was suddenly sporting. He just told them that it was a fashion choice and he was just trying them out. Bullet liked them and told him to keep them. Like Sam he agreed that they gave him a more mysterious edge. Little did the sharklike ghost know they were actually helping Danny to see strait. Without the Glasses Danny could barely see three feet in front of his face.

Life went on this way for a week or so. Danny spent time with his family and friends where he could get it and was making the best of his situation. He made a point to spend time with his dad when he could so Jack wouldn't think he was being replaced by Technus. Although, Danny was subcontiously deciding to hang out with his ghost father more and more. It was more of a coolness thing. Jack Fenton was great but he was a bit of a moron. he always seemed to mess something up or embarass Danny in one way or another. Technus somehow managed to get out of anything unscathed. Technus had even gone so far as to appear at Danny's school and talk to him in public. It took some getting used to but Daniel quickly stopped caring what others thought about him. He'd even kept his hair back when he wasn't on duty. They could think he was a traitor all they wanted. He was protecting their city on a daily basis from evil ghosts and cleaning up the Ghost Zone at the same time. He deserved time to mingle if he wanted.

So now it was a week and a half after the fight Danny had lost. He was sitting upstairs in his house, lounding on his bed with a book. Tucker had do do something with his folks and Sam was busy with some volunteer thing to save the rain forests. And Technus was off...doing whatever it was he did when he disapered. So danny had his time to himself... So far.

Jack suddenly burst into his room, brimming woth excitemet, "Danny! Guess what?"

Danny lowered the book enough for his shade covered eyes to show over it, "What?"

"I signed us up for the father/son picnic!" His dad announced proudly, holding up a flyer for the event, "Four hours of games and free food."

Danny groaned and put his book in his lap, "Do I have to? This is my time to relax."

"Your mother wants the house to herself to work so yes." Jack said suddenly yanking the boy from his bed and dragging him from the room.

Danny prayed that his ghost sence would go off so he could get out of this. Seeing his dad stuff his face in public would be more than Danny could handle. It was more gross than embarassing at this point.

As if his wish had been granted a wisp of blue energy escaped from his lips. He sighed and looked around to see where the ghost was. It couldn't be any one wanting to kill him or there would have been a lot more pain. As the two got to the bottom of the stairs danny was shocked to See Walker standing in his living room talking to his mother.

Oh no... This couldn't be good. What if his mom told Walker that technus was Danny's biological father?

As the two men came into the room Danny's mother and boss turned to see them. Maddie smilled and said hello but Walker was as cool and serious as ever.

"What are you doing here?" Danny asked as he pulled himself free from Jack's grip.

"A prisoner in my prison wants to talk to you." Walker stated, "He said he'll give a full confession if we let him speak to you."

"Who is it?" Danny asked, pushing his shades further up on his face.

"A halfa by the name of 'Plasmius'. I'm sure you are familiar with each other." Walker said narrowing his eyes slightly at the statement.

Danny's parents both gasped in unison.

"Vlad? He's back on Earth?" Maddie asked in total shock, "And he's in ghost jail?"

Walker nodded to her once, "He mysteriously turned up. Tied up in electrical chords."

Danny held in a laugh at the mental image the sentence created.

The warden then turned to the teenager, "So can you come in and talk to him or not?"

Danny glanced over to Jack who sighed in defeat, "Go ahead. This is more important."

Daniel smiled, "Thanks Dad. I'll make it up to you later, I promise." He turned to Walker and gave a nod, "I'll talk to him."

"Good. Let's go," Walker turned on his heel and walked briskly back to portal.

The two entered the ghost zone without a word to one another. Danny kind of wanted to ask what Walker had been talking with his mom about before he'd come downstairs. Hopefully his mom hadn't told him anything that would either embarass him or come back to haunt him later. In the hurry danny had forgotten to let his hair down.

They entered the prison, not bothering to show ID. The guards knew who they were. There was no need. Walker lead the boy down to the interigation room where Vlad was being held. It was a darker hallway than the others and the dim lights that were there would occasionally flicker. This was probably a scare tactic of Walker's to intimidate the ghosts he questioned. And by the wardens uncanny ability to know everything about his inmates, it seemed to work.

Danny looked through the window of the door they stopped at. There he saw his arch enemy, in ghost mode still, chained into a chair, seated at a large metal table. Dannycouldn't help but wonder why he hadn't reverted to his human state and just walked out. Maybe he didn't know he could? As if reading his mind, Walker spoke up.

"After chasing you for 3 years my crew finally made a device that holds Halfa's in their ghost modes," Walker explained dryly, "And it renders all of their powers totally useless. Now no one is the exception to my rules."

Danny swallowed at the thought. Another good reason to keep working for the man. The seventeen year old inhaled and pushed open the door to the room. He asked Walker to wait outside in case something went wrong. But danny knew that now that he was fully recharged and rested he could easily take Vlad. Ghost powers or no.

"Daniel, I was beginning to think you wouldn't come." Vlad said smoothly with a toothy smirk.

"Well you know how much I love to see you." Danny smirked back as he took the seat opposite of the other Halfa, "So why did you want to talk to me?"

"Since I've been in here I've wondered something," Vlad crossed his hands on top of the table, allowing danny to see Walkers device strapped to his wrist, "Why would Technus of all ghosts want to save a brat like you? He hates you."

"We found a middle ground," Danny said narrowing his eyes, "What does it matter to you? You're doing afterlife for attempted world domination."

Vlad scoffed, "It matters to me because I was humiliated by one of the biggest failures in the Ghost Zone! And I want to know why!"

Danny crossed his arms, "And what if I don't feel like telling?"

Vlad growled, "Did you blackmail him?"

"No"

"Was there some kind of pact?"

"No?"

"Did you save his life once?"

"Not that I know of."

"Then _**what**_?" Vlad roared, "What reason would _Technus _have to come to the rescue of one of the most hated beings in the entire Ghost Zone? He attacked me with more power than he ever used on you! Why the hell would he ever want to save your-"

Plasmius stopped mid sentence and just stared at Danny. The sudden silence made the boy nervous. And he was more unnerved when Vlad started laughing to himself.

"Oh, no..." Vlad chuckled lowly, "It can't be... How did I not notice it sooner? The hair, the glasses, the similar build, the same affection I tried to show you once... He's your _father_!"

Danny's heart stopped and time seemed to freeze. that was so not good. He clenched his fists in an attempt to keep his cool.

Vlad's laughter grew and his whole body shook because of it, "Danny Phantom, the savior of the world, is Technus' SON? Oh this is too good! Now you have two failures for fathers!"

"You shut up!" Danny shouted as he suddenly stood to tower over the other, "You have no idea what you're talking about!"

"Ooh, I'm so scared!" Vlad faked, "What are you going to do? Cry on me?"

Danny's eyes began to glow a dangerous shade of green in his anger, "I said to shut up."

"Don't be so angry Daniel. People can't pick their parents," Vlad grinned up at him, "And if I were technus I would be feeling the same was over having you as a son."

Danny slammed his fist intothe metal table, leaving a huge dent in it's wake, "You don't know anything about either of us, Plasmius! So keep your mouth shut before I come over there and shut it for you!"

"Oh, so you actually _like _having that screw up as your daddy?" Plasmius taunted with a laugh, "What about Jack? Does your loving _step_-father know about you replacing him?"

"I am not replacing my dad!" Danny snapped angrilly, "And I told you to _shut up_!"

"Temper, temper, Danny." Vlad told him, "You know how daddy dearest feels about those emotions of yours. Maybe you should have yorus removed so you can be more like him."

Danny then leaped over the table, slamming the chair Vlad was in backwards, forcing the latter to the floor. He gripped PLasmius' throat and squeezed it hard. He didn't care how much he hurt the other Halfa. He had a point to make.

"Don't you ever talk about either of my Dad's again!" He demanded, the glow from his eyes, lighting up the blue fae in front of him, "You hear me Masters! You say one more word about either of them and I will make you a permenant resident of the Ghost Zone!"

Vlad was gagging below him and trying to pry the hands from his neck. His face was turning a darker shade of blue with each passing second. Danny would have choked him to death if a pair of hands hadn't ripped him away. Danile thrashed in the grip as he was pulled from the room, leaving a coughing and weezing Plasmius laying on the floor.

"Let me go!" Danny demanded angrilly.

"Relax kid. It's over." Walker told him as he held the teens arms at his sides, "You kill him now you're no better than him."

After a moment Danny sighed in defeat and relaxed. He was let go and set on his feet again. he looked back to see the Warden gazing down at him, surprisingly not mad.

"I know what you're going through kid and trust me, it ain't worth it." Walker explained, "Just let him do his time and be done with him. No sence in beating a dead horse... so to speak."

Danny nodded, "Sorry about that... I just..."

"Is Technus really your father?" Walker asked suddenly.

Danny looked up at him, almost regretting coming to the prison, "...Yeah."

Walker frowned, "Does that have anything to do with why you came to work with me in the first place."

"work for you, you mean."Danny pointed out.

"Same difference," Walker waved it off, "Answer the question, punk."

Danny sighed again, "I came here originally to try and throw him off my trail. I didn't want him to know untill both of us were ready for him to find out. But one thing lead to another and I ended up telling him early. No one else in the Zone knows because neither of us can really explain it without looking bad for attacking our family memeber... I just stayed working for you becuase It still worked out for me."

Walker nodded slowly before saying, "Shit happens."

Danny laughed slightly at the blunt statement, "Something like that... You won't tell will you?"

"Why would I do that?" Walker arched a brow at the younger officer, "As far as I can tell it's no one else's business."

Daniel smiled, "Thanks boss. I better get back. I have people waiting on me."

The warden nodded and stepped aside to let the boy pass. Danny lifted off and raced away from the prison as fast as he could. The more distance he put between himself and Vlad the better. He re-entered the Fenton Portal and transformed back to human form, walking up stairs. He found that his dad had goen to the picnic anyway for the free food and his mother was working in the back yard on her latest invention. He practicaly had the house to himself.

He went up staris and was about to go to his room when he heard noise coming from Technus' current room. He walked over and peeked int he slightly open door. Technus was pacing cack and forth mumbling to himself about some plan he'd had. Danny couldn't really understand most of it but he looked conflicted. Taking a chance, Daniel knocked alerting the ghost to his presence.

Technus looked up immediately and smiled nervously at him, "Oh, Hello,uh, Daniel... How was your trip?"

"How did you know I was on one?" danny asked as he entered the room and shut the door behind him.

"Your mother told me when I came back." Technus shrugged.

"Speaking of which," Danny started, "Where were you?"

"You know.. Running some errands... Working around my lair..." Technus trailed off absent mindedly. It wasn't like the Master of Technology to get flustered. Something was up.

"What's going on with you?" The halfa asked crossing his arms across his chest, "You can't think strait and you've been here way longer than you said you'd be. I don't mind you staying but you need to tell me what's going on."

Technus made a hlf groan, half sigh noise and sat on the bed, "I don't know anymore... Everything used to be so clear to me but now... I don't know."

Danny frowned. Was the reality finally starting to set in? This was how Danny felt when he had first found out Technus was his father. Maybe it was the aftermath of the "D" word being used a week ago. The boy sighed and walked over to stand by the bed.

"Technus I know what you're going though. Trust me, It will get better." He assured the ghost, putting a hand on the caped shoulder.

Technus chewed his lip thoughtfully before looking up at the boy, "Thank you. " He stood abruptly, "I think I will go back to my lair for the night to sort things out. I think I just need my space."

Danny nodded with a half smile, "Sounds like a plan. You take care."

Technus nodded and patted the boys shoulders before turning intangable and flying down through the floor and away. danny shook his head and left the room to go back to his book. All anybody really needed was some space every now and then. What could happen?


	16. Conflicted

**I am taking a vote! What would you all think of me starting my story involving a "Mother Nature" Ghost? There would be an OC pairing in it eventually but don't worry, she wouldn't end up with Danny. I'm just taking a poll to see how many would be interested in reading that. It would touch on the subject on how Undergrowth came into being and why he is the way he is and stuff like that. After all, Mother Nature rules over much more than plants. All the creatures world are her children. She would need a little help here and there. I just figured since there is already a "Father Time" type character why not have a Mother Nature? And Undergrowth is too... masculine to play that part. lol Give me your honest opinions please. I am happy to get all kinds of feedback.**

**In the meantime here's another angst chapter before we get back into the action!**

This did not bode well. Not well at all...Everything he'd planned...everything he'd worked for all these years... Going out the window!

Technus paced in his lab tapping a microchip against the palm of his hand anxiously. How had this boy managed to get under his skin like this? Well, ectoskin... He intended to get the boy to trust him but didn't plan on Danny actually warming up to him. He'd called Technus DAD for heavens sake! And Technus was actually starting to like the idea.

"What it wrong with me?" He growled, clenching his fist around the chip, "My first plan that could have succeeded and I'M messing it up!"

He sighed defeated and slumped into a chair. He looked around at the work he'd done. He'd created an all new computer system just for this. He was supposed to be ruling the world by now! But he was returning to his lab just so he could get away from his son. He thought putting space between them would help cease these unwanted emotions. Guilt, joy, anger, pride... Technus sneered at the thought. Emotions only hindered rational thought. They were dangerous. But every time the scientist got away from the boy he always felt the desire to go back. He would try to put some space between himself and Danny but every night he was back in that guest room with that dreaded mix of emotions.

Technus looked down at the micro chip in his palm. It was no bigger than a quarter but it held the key to his success. If his goals were to be accomplished he had to get it into the computer banks at Axion labs. He could go in anytime he wanted but that would break the trust he was building with Danny. He had to make the ghost child think Nicolai was acting benevolent. His lie was already written and he just needed the opportunity to use it...

But what if he hurt the boy in the process?

Technus shook his head angrily at the thought. No! He couldn't care!

Ah, who was he kidding? He did care. Daniel may not have been the son (or daughter) that he wanted but he was still his son. A part of him had always felt some kind of connection to the boy. In fact, when he first escaped the ghost zone he only came through the Fentons portal because he was drawn to it. And had they started off on better terms he and Danny could have been... Friends? Maybe?

And when stumbled upon the fight between Daniel and Vlad Plasmius... Technus had felt an intense mix of rage and concern when he saw the older halfa strike Danny. A hatred boiled in him that he hadn't felt in ages. Almost on instinct he had raced to his son's rescue. He disabled Vlad for a moment and pulled the child off to safety. He was further angered when he saw that Danny had been nearly blinded by the assault. After that he stopped holding back. He unleashed on the vile creature the highest number of volts he could manage. Plasmius fell at his feet and Technus rushed the boy home.

The memories hurt to relive. Any other time he would have loved the thought of being rid of Danny Phantom. But lately he was actually trying to keep the boy from harm. Even going so far as invisibly helping him in battle. The thought of Daniel dying made him sick.

Technus continued to stare at the chip, his mind going a hundred miles a minute. If he went ahead with his plan there was a chance he could lose Danny forever... But if he chose to halt his ambitions, he could finally have a family of his own. His pre-death plans could be fulfilled... 

His thoughts screeched to a stop when there was a slamming on his door. He rose from his chair and quickly went down stairs to answer it. When he opened the door his eyes widened slightly in surprise and confusion.

"Daniel? What are you doing here?" He asked blankly.

Danny was a wreck. His face was red with a combination of sadness and anger and his eyes had teared up a bit. His white hair was tied up messily and strands were hanging in his face. He looked other wise he looked unharmed. Technus frowned and lead the boy inside.

"Why don't you take a deep breath and tell me what happened?" Technus sat him down on the couch and took the spot next to him.

"I'm a horrible person, that's what happened!" Danny cried out putting his face in his hands, "after you left last night mom and I had a fight. She said I was replacing my dad with you and that I was being selfish by blowing every one else off for my ghost duties." The teen explained shaking his head, "its not my fault its a demanding job! They're acting like a chose this!"

"They?" Technus arched one brow and frowned, "Who else thinks this?"

"Sam and Tucker. They had come over and heard the whole fight. When I asked them if it was true they couldn't answer me!" Danny groaned, "I was so mad at them for thinking those things about me that I left. I told them that if they thought I was getting so close to the ghosts then maybe ill go live in the Ghost Zone." Daniel sniffed and dropped his hands to his lap but didn't look up, "I know you said you wanted your space but I needed some one I could trust to talk to."

Technus' heart sank. As if he didn't feel bad enough. Of all the allies Danny had, he'd come to him. He was trusting Technus to be there for him.

The father slowly put his arm around the boys shoulders. He rubbed the opposite arm to him soothingly.

"No one ever chooses this Daniel," Technus assured him, "To become a ghost is never optional. But you have to make the best of it either way."

Danny just sniffed and moped further, "But the stuff I did have a choice in, I screwed up! I should have known better..."

"It will be okay..." He told his son with a half smile, "You can stay here with me if you need to." He couldn't even believe he had offered that.

"You sure?" Danny asked finally looking up at him with watery eyes, "Do you even have room for me?"

"I will make room," Technus said, his smile growing slightly, "What are f-fathers for?" He choked out the word slightly unnerved about saying it outloud.

It made him feel a bit better when the boy smiled at him. It was the hug he wasn't prepared for. He froze as the boy put his arms around his shoulders tightly. Technus hesitantly reached up to return the embrace. It was his second hug since he died. The first was also Danny. He held his child against him securely and let the boy cry it out. Daniel just needed to let out his frustration. And there must have been a lot to bring the teenager to tears and clinging to Technus like a toddler. Danny wasn't sobbing thankfully. Just shaking and crying.

After a few minutes Danny pulled away and wiped his eyes, "Thanks, Technus..."

The master of technology nodded one and looked around them, "You will probably end up on the couch for tonight. I will have to make a room for you tomarrow." He looked at the time and saw that it was only 5 o'clock. There was enough time to explain how things would work and maybe get the boy out of his bad mood, "In the meantime let me lay down a few ground rules." 

Danny gave him his full attention, "I'm all ears."

"First: Don't touch any of my inventions. There is a good chance they will hurt you. Second," he held up two fingers to emphasize the point, "Don't go in my lab for the same reason. Anywhere you need to go is downstairs in the normal part of the house."

"As normal as your house can be," Danny added humorously, motioning to the hundreds of wires and chords around them.

Technus smirked, "Which brings me two the third and last rule. You must hover at all times when you travel around my home," he told the boy, "It is easy to trip over something here and get hurt. Either that or you may step on something important."

"Easy enough." Danny nodded.

"Good. I will be right back." Technus rose from the couch and hovered into the kitchen to get them drinks.

As he turned the corner into the room he stopped to peek back around the door frame. The boy looked so helpless. Danny seemed nothing like be had known him for years. Technus had always known him to be strong willed and always ready with a quip. Now he was just pitiful. He looked more than helpless. He looked just plain lost. Technus sighed quietly. And went to the fridge. He pulled out two ecto-colas an rejoined his boy on the couch. He handed Danny his drink with a reassuring smile and the boy took it gratefully

The night consisted of the father and son sitting up talking. They talked about random things from their lives. Technus learned, with pride, that Danny always wanted to be an astronaut. It was a very high and noble goal. But with his grades that wasn't very likely. Technus told hiim stories about people he knew and things he had done when he was alive. Danny was facinated by him and kept asking what it was like to work where he did or what the coolest thing he'd ever built was. When they ran out of things to talk about they propped up their feet, in the same fashion, and watched the original Star Wars trilogy. All three movies in a row. They took a break at around eight for dinner. Ramen noodles and Bugles. The dinner of champions.

While they were eating Dannny looked up at him and inquired as to what creation of Technus' he was most proud of so far. Technus was taken back by this slightly considering a number of his inventions were used as weapons against the ghost boy. He considered this for a minute. He thought over everything he'd ever made or helped to create and a smile came over his lips. He looked to the boy with an actually soft expression.

"You." He answered bluntly.

Danny stared at him for a moment than smiled bashfully, "You really mean that?"

"Of course." Technus said relaxing in his chair, "My son is Danny Phantom! How many people get to say that?"

"Inclusing you? Three." Danny replied with a smirk refering to his mother and Jack, "And you were there too you know."

"True enough." Technus said with a nod, "So are we going to sit here all night or are we going to finish the movie?"

With that the boy hopped up and flew back to the couch, siezing the remote. Technus barely bot back in the room before Danny pressed play. They sat beside one another and silently enjoyed the films. Every now and then they spoke about something small but they mostly just enjoyed having the company.

Around midnight Technus looked down to see the teen completely asleep against him. Danny had curled into him for warmth like an infant. Ironic considering Technus was dead. The scientist smiled down at him and stroked his sons white, ghost hair gently. Another thing they had in common. And luckily Danny didn't go human when he fell asleep.

Carefully, Technus stood, laying Danny down on the couch. Not having any spare blankets in the house at the time he stripped off his cape and draped it over the boy. It was long enough to completely cover Danny. Standing back Technus smiled to himself. He wasn't doing half bad at this father thing. He reached to his pocket and pulled out the microchip. He stared at it for a bit considering his options. He decided that he would have to choose to do one thing or the other. He couldn't be both Daniel's enemy and alli at the same time. After deliberating he tossed the item over his shoulder to some unknown corner of the room. He didn't need it now. Hopefully there would come a time when he never would. For now, though, he just had to be there for his boy.. His boy. There was a nice ring to that.

Technus leaned down to put his hand on his childs shoulder and whispered, "Sweet dreams Danny."

He turned to go to his room down the hall and just before exiting the living room a small, sleepy voice called after him.

"Goodnight dad," 


	17. Out with the old

Danny was a wreck after leaving his house. He felt horrible for leaving but he felt angry that his friends and family would even think those horrible things about him. He flew aimlessly into the Ghost Zone not even knowing where he was going. He had so many allies that would be willing to help him but none of them seemed like the right person to go to. He had floated for God knows how long before he came across a familiar door.

In front of him was a large iron door like a safe. Danny had approached slowly, hesitant about going to it. Technus said he needed space so was bothering him so soon a good idea? What if he got angry with Danny for disturbing him. He wiped his eyes from the tears forming there and went up to the door. His knocking was much louder than he intended but with the mood he was in subtlety didn't matter.

Almost surprisingly Technus didn't send him away. He'd invited the boy in and comforted him. He'd even returned Danny's hug. Danny wasn't sure why he hugged his father but he needed the contact. He felt more secure in the ghost's presence and didn't want that feeling to go. He gripped Technus tighter when the latter embraced him in return. It was a showing of affection Danny had never seen.

After that they spent the night just enjoying the company and talking. Technus had told him he could stay in his house. From there everything got better. Danny couldn't stop his questions from spewing from his mouth. He wanted to know everything he could. And his father proudly answered. Danny had even asked what Technus' best invention was. The answer caught him off guard.

It was Danny. The boy never felt so flattered in his life. Technus was proud of him! Not only that he was proud of all the good Danny had done. The boy thought he'd have at least been bitter about some of it. But he looked genuinely proud to call Danny Phantom his son.

The two sat up all night after eating dinner finishing up watched the original Star Wars movies. Danny didn't know how far they were into the last movie when he fell asleep. His eyes just became heavy and he nodded off, falling against his father. He absently curled into the man in a childish search for warmth and comfort. He wasn't sure how he must have looked but it was probably embarrassing. He didn't stir until Technus apparently noticed and layed him flat on the couch. Danny barely peeked his eyes open when he felt something light and flowing drape over him. He could barely see Technus out of his peripheral vision standing g over him. They exchanged soft 'Goodnights', Danny unsure if Technus heard him and the teen fell back into slumber.

Now he was waking up drowzily on the scientist's couch. Danny sat up, fixing the shades sitting crooked on his face from sleeping in them and looked around with a tired blink. He could hear the slight buzzing of machines working but didn't actually see Technus anywhere. He must have been in his lab upstairs.  
>Danny heaved himself off of the couch and floated to the bathroom. After he took care of his, er... daily needs he noticed a piece of paper taped to the wall right outside the bathroom. Danny pulled it off and read the rough handwriting.<p>

_**'Danny,  
>There is a change of clothes for you in my room. I have gone shopping and will be back later. Remember: Hover.<br>TECHNUS, Master of Technology'**_

Danny snorted at the signature. Any chance he could Technus talked about himself. Danny tossed the note in the trash. He walked down the hall to find Technus' room. He found it behind a plain white door. For a cocky Master of all Technology, Technus had a pretty humble home.

Danny opened the door to find a simple bedroom. There was a simple metal desk with a stool to sit on, a cieling fan with a light attached and a twin sized bed, obviously saying Technus never... Entertained. At least Danny wouldn't have to worry about his father bringing home any weird ghost women. Danny stepped into the room and looked around for the change of clothes that was supposed to be there. He did find a trash can full of discarded designs and some faded photos taken years before sitting on the desk. One of them looked suspiciously like Danny when he was little, only with a thinner face. This must have been Technus as a kid. And sure enough it was written on the back, 'Nicolai age 10'. Under the photo was an actual picture of Danny from when he was about the same age. Danny held out the two pictures in front of him. The resemblance was almost uncanny. Technus must have hunted the photos down to compare them. Around the desk and covering it there were numerous photos and paperwork on the both of them. This slightly concerned Danny but he didn't let it get to him.

Putting the photos down Danny decided to look in the closet to see if his clothes were in there. Sure enough there was one outfit hanging there that didn't look like what Technus usually wore. It didn't look normal so he got a better look. Danny pulled it out of the closet to get a better look at it. It was definately not his usual Hazmat suit. He also pulled out the shoes that were placed under it so he could see the whole outfit together.

He gawked at the garment in disbelief, "Oh you have got to be kidding me..."

Black pants with a white belt attaching to a mostly white top with a strip of black going up the middle of his chest and out to the shoulders. There was a pair of black gloves and white boots that went with the outfit. The image was hauntingly familiar... This couldnt be real. The only thing missing was his white insignia on the front.

Danny turned aorund as he heard the front door open and Technus come in. He flew quickly to the living room, the outfit in hand. He entered the room to Find the green skinned ghost with a bag of groceries in one arm and shutting the door with the other.

Technus looked up and saw him floating there and simply said, "Oh, you're up."

Danny nodded once, "Yeah... I found your note."

Technus smirked ever so slightly and looked down at the bundle of clothing in Daniel's hands, "Like it? I made it after you went to sleep."

"Actually I was wonedring why you made it in the first place," Danny stated dryly, "What's wrong with my jumpsuit?"

"Besides the smell and obvious wear and tear?" Technus asked sarcastically, "I thought you were overdue for a new look anyway. Besides, if you're going to live in the Ghost Zone you need to fit in with us." He paused to frowned, "You don't like it?"

Danny groaned, "It's not that... I'm just... Not sure about it."

Technus scoffed and walked past him into the kictchen, "Teenagers..."

Danny followed him and watched as the ghost put an assortment of canned goods and food away.

Danny sighed and walked over, "It's not that I'm not grateful. I am it's just..." He looked down at the suit in his hands and to the one he was wearing. First the hair now this... It was like he was destined to be that version of himself one way or another... But could he become that still? The events that lead up to Dark Danny's creation were stopped so he would never be made... Was there another way of making him?... Where is Clockwork when you need him?

"Change is not easy, belive me..."Technus laughed to himself, probably referencing to his upgraded body.

"Well when you changed it was for the better. You got taller, and stronger," Danny said crossing his arms around the fabric, "I don't know what this will change... I mean... What if I don't go home again?... What if I _can't _go home again?"

"Now, you stop right there, young man!" Technus snapped turning to him, "My god! Pull yourself together! You're Danny Phantom! You have battled the ghost king, Vlad Plasmius, and saved the world how many times? If any one can get though this it's you!"

Danny was taken back by the sudden outburst. He didn't know what to say so he let Technus continue.

"I have known you for three long, pain filled years, and you have never been this pathetic," His father repremanded him with his fists on his hips, "You are turning eighteen in a few days! Act like it! And stop thinking some costume change will change what people think of you." Technus sighed, "I mean really... Every one here will still feel the same way about you. And it's not like you have anything to lose."

"But Sam and Tucker-"

"Will accept you if they are really your friends." Technus cut him off, "Now stop your moping and go change out of that smelly Hazmat suit!"

Danny sighed in defeat and walked away. He had to admit Technus was right. He really did need to suck it up... But he really didn't want to look like that jerk older version of himself... He slipped into the bathroom and peeled off the Hazmat suit. It had been like a second skin to him all these years. It was like losing a part of who he was to take it off. And to be putting on this new suit felt like wearing acid. Danny pulled it on, strapped on the belt, pulled on the gloves and boots and turned to look at himself in the mirror. A very large mirror, by the way.

Daniel exhaled slowly at the image.. He had to admit that the suit fit him really well. It was made of a sturdy yet streachy material that actually defined his muscles. Though, he still wasn't as ripped as his older self. He was doubtful that would ever happen. It made him look like more of a threat than the plain black though. And, thank God, there was no cape! Technus hadn't thought to include it. That was a blessing in itself. Danny tugged on the gloves slightly before exiting the Bathroom to see his father waiting in the hallway against the wall.

"Well?" Danny asked turning around so Technus could get a better look at him.

"Looks better than I thought," The scientist mused, "I've never actually made clothes before so I wasn't sure how it would turn out.."

Oh, great. Now Danny was a test subject. He sighed once more and brushed back his messy would take some getting used to.

"Hungry?" Technus offered motioning to the kitchen.

Danny felt his stomache and finally realised how hungary he really was. He nodded and followed the older man out of the hall. There was a box of cereal and a bowl already sitting out and technus handed it to him. Danny furrowed his brow when he saw there wasn't another.

"I'm a ghost. I only eat if I want to." Technus said with a shrug, "You on the other hand are still half alive."

"Ah." Danny took the bowl and sat at the table.

He poured himself a bowl of cereal, Fruit Loops to be accurate, and ate in silence. Technus had grabbed a newspaper called the Ghost Zone Sentinel he must have picked up and sat across from him to read it. It surprised Danny that Technus would even read something so obsolete as a newspaper. Danny looked at the front page to read the head line. In large bold lettering it read: **GHOST BOY DEFEATED! SAVED BY CRACKPOT! **Below it were two photos placed side by side. One of Danny in his ghost mode and the other of Technus.

Defeated? What was that about? Yeah he'd gotten his but kicked but he wasn't defeated! And who would print that? And why would Technus even get that paper? Danny had always assumed Technus didn't care what others thought about him.. He silently hoped Technus was only reading it for the comics.

Nicolai flipped the top half of the paper down to look at Danny over it, "Can I help you?"

How did he know Danny was staring? The boy looked away instantly.

"Nothing." He answered quietly as he scooped up another spoonful of cereal.

Technus hummed in his throat before going back to his reading. Every few minutes Danny would hear him scoff or humm at something he was reading. other than that the room was filled with silence. Eventually Danny finished eating and got up to clean out his bowl. when he returned to the table and looked over his father's shoulder curiously. He almsot sighed in relief when he saw that Technus wasn't reading the artical about them.

"So, what do you want for your birthday?" Technus asked out of the blue, not looking back at the teen.

Danny frowned slightly,"I dunno. Why?"

"Isn't it normal to give some one a gift on their birthday?" technus asked as he flipped a page of the paper.

Danny rolled his eyes slightly and went back to his seat, "I haven't really thought about it... Besides, you really don't have to get me anything. You've done more than enough."

"So, does that mean your little test is over?" Technus asked with a smirk looking up at the boy.

Danny stared at him cluelessly for a moment then remembered the deal he had made with Technus a few weeks back. He couldnt believe he'd actually forgotten!

"Uh, yeah, I guess." Danny said with a half smile.

Technus said nothing in return. He just looked back to his paper. Then the thought occured to Danny.

"Where did you go shopping at?" Daniel asked curiously, hoping nothing had been stolen.

"The market," Nicolai told him, "Where do you think ghosts go shopping? Your world? Not likely."

Danny cocked his head to the side, causing some of his hair to fall in his face, "Ghosts have money?"

Technus just laughed at first, "Of course ghosts have money! Where do you think Walker gets the money to pay for bounties?"

Danny now felt a little stupid for asking, "Can you take me next time?"

Technus looked up at him and shrugged, "Sure. Why not?"

The boy smiled and sat back in his chair, relaxed, "Cool."

"In the meantime, why don't you go learn the neighborhood." Technus told him, turning back to his paper and flipping the page.

Danny already knew his way around the Ghost Zone but he left anyway. He could tell Technus just wanted some quiet. He flew out the door, closing it quietly behind him. He inhaled and smiled with satisfaction. He could get used to this. It was already less stressful that his human home. Though he would have to go back eventually to talk to his family. He was going to let them worry though.

"Who are you supposed to be?"

Danny turned and saw Ember floating behind him... What was _she _doing here? And why would she ask who he was?

Oh yeah! The glasses, the tied up hair, the new suit... Almost everything about him was different now.

"Phantom," He answered simply with a growing smirk.

She looked him up and down, silently sizing him up. At first she wore a sneer but it slowly turned to a smirk.

"Ember," She replied with almsot seductive narrow eyes, "Nice get up."

"Thanks. It's new." 'Phantom' answered floating away from Technus' door, "What's a girl like you doing out _here_?"

She pulled her guitar off of her back and almost instinctively Danny braced himself. She didn't seem to notice that thankfuly.

"I'm getting my guitar tuned up," She said stumming the chords slightly, "Hopefully I can turn these into real power chords!"

Danny chuckled slightly, "I see... Well, good luck with that."

She turned her eyes up to him, still holding a smirk, "Who says I need it, Baby Pop?"

Daniel held up his hands, "Okay, fair enough. I'll, uh.. See you around."

He turned to fly away and she called after him, "See you later!"

Danny grinned to himself as he tore away from the site. He flew quickly past the lairs of ghosts he knew and didn't know. He did flips, dips, dives and twirls just for the hell of it. SO far this suit was working out really well! It increased his speed a bit allowing him to zip by ghosts nearly un noticed. And since it was so drastically different from what he was used to, no one even knew it was him! It was like an all new start for him!

Huh. Maybe there were some benefits of looking like his evil self...


	18. Odd Impressions

After about an hour of free flying Danny finally decided to slow it down and see where had ended up. He halted in front of the gates to the prison and looked up at the giant doors. He contemplated going in just to freak the warden out. Walker wasn't expecting him there today and because of his new look most ghosts would recognize him. But that might very well end up with him in the jail as an inmate. So Danny decided not to tempt fate and leave.

Technus had to be done with Ember by now right? Danny turned back and flew off toward his home away from home. But he barely got anywhere when a female voice called out to him.

"Hey new guy!"

Danny groaned and turned back. Ah great... Just what he needed.

"Spectra." He greeted her with a frown.

The red haired ghost woman blinked at him, "you know my name?"

Danny smirked, "Who doesn't?"

She laughed and floated up to him, "That's true... But who are you and what are you doing outside Walkers prison?" She motioned to the large structure Danny had barely moved away from, "the ghost kid works there now you know. Hanging out here probably isn't the best idea."

Danny rolled his eyes behind his shades. Like she really cared.

"Well what are you doing out here?"Danny asked crossing his arms casually.

"Uh..." Spectra seemed caught off guard by her question being turned around on her. The smallest tinge of pink came over her cheeks and she glanced up at the prison,"I was kind of hoping I could get a chance to talk to the Warden."

Danny suppressed his gag reflex. That was gross. SPECTRA had a crush on WALKER? Eew! What about Bertrand? Was he _actually _gay instead of just feminine? ... Though it did seem to make sense. Spectra thrived on misery and Walker lived to make people miserable.

"Why do you want to talk to Walker?" Danny inquired hoping his assumption was wrong.

Spectra let out a small giggle, "It's not obvious?

Danny let out an audible groan, making the woman frown.

"Walker? Seriously?" Danny asked, frowning in slight disgust.

Spectra shrugged her petit shoulders, "There's no harm in a crush... I just can't figure out how to talk to him without getting arrested first..."

Danny was suddenly taken over by a great idea. If he could hook up walker maybe the guy would be in a better mood! And maybe the warden would lay off of everyone for a while. And if he played his cards right he could get in with his enemies. He would just have to keep them in the dark to who he really was. Not that any of them were smart enough to figure out that his voice was the same. No one in Amity Park figured it out when he hid his secret from them.

"I can put in a good word for you." Danny spoke up after his moment of thought.

Spectra looked like she was both happy and incredibly confused.

"Why would you do that?" She asked glancing around her, "You don't even know me..."

danny floated over next to and put a hand on her shoulder in a friendly manner. It was awkward but he pushed that to the back of his mind for now. He had to make this convincing.

"Let's just say that, you'll owe me one." 'Phantom stated giving her shoulder a light squeeze and smirking over his shades at her.

The female ghost smiled, "You're okay, kid. But how do you plan on getting in?"

Danny moved away from her and put his hands on his hips lightly, "You let me take care of that. You just move along and I'll handle it."

Spectra gave him a full watt smile and took his hands in hers, "Thank you! Thank you so much, stranger!" She reached into the pocket of her coat and pulled out a piece of paper with her name and number on it, "Here. Give him this."

Danny took it and read it quickly.

_Penelope Spectra, Mistress of Misery._

Wow... Fitting.

Danny tried to refrain from laughing as he gave a polite nod. The misery sucking ghost smiled and flew away quickly. Danny exhaled and removed his shades, tucking them away in his belt. He could see better now but his vision was still slightly impared. He'd have to ask Technus why they hadn't healed later.

The halfa let down his hair and pulled his badge out of his belt. He appraoched the gate and pushed the gates open freely. He got some odd glances from guards who thought he was breaking in, but a flash of his badge made them lower their guard. It didn't matter if these guys knew who he was, they never talked to anyone outside the prison unless they were told to.

Danny walked briskly to Walker's office, whistling to himself and nodding to every one he passed. He was actually in a good mood dispite having run into one of his least favorite ghosts. He trotted up to the Warden's door and knocked a few times. He heard footsteps on the otherside and waited for the door to be opened.

"...Danny Phantom?" Walker narrowed his eyes in confusion, "Is that you?"

Danny nodded, "Like it? I'm trying it out."

"It's... different.." The prison warden admitted, "what are you doing here?"

Daniel shrugged a shoulder slightly, "Well, a little lady wanted me to give you her number."

Walker's expression didn't change.

"No, seriously. what are you doing here?"

Danny laughed and walked in the office so they could talk privately.

"I'm not joking." He told his boss, "A pretty thing named Spectra, phone number 174-8812, has the hots for you." Danny held up the piece of paper in his index fingers to show it off.

Walker scoffed and shook his head, shutting the door, "Sorry, kid. But I'm not interested."

Danny frowned, "Well, why not?"

Walker sighed and put his gloved hands in his pockets, "I'm too busy to date. Besides, I'm not interested."

Danny narrowed his eyes convictingly, "You're gay aren't you?"

Walker gave him a glare that could have killed him. That was definately a 'no'.

"Okay, so you're not gay!" Danny held up his hands defencively, "Then what's wrong? Out of any ghost I think you need a break more than anybody... Well you do that poker thing but I guess that doesn't count.."

Walker just walked past the boy and stared out the window silently. Danny watched him without a word. What could his problem be with dating? Unless... That picture Danny had found in Walker's house... Was that Walker when he was alive? And that lady was his girlfriend? Fiance? Wife?

Danny slowly pieced it together in his mind one bit at a time.

"You're in love..." He said out loud.

Walker looked over his shoulder back at th eboy. His brow was furrowed in confusion, clearly not understanding.

"What are you-"

"That picture in your house," Danny interupted him, "The one of you and that woman... You loved her, didn't you? That's why you don't want to date Spectra... Because you still love her."

The warden's eyes widened slightly, "You figured that out from that picture?"

Danny shrugged a bit, "It's not that hard."

Walker exhaled tiredly and went to his chair and sat. He placed his hands on the metal surface and wove his fingers together and stared at them in thought.

"Her name was Penny." He said quietly a faint smile on his lips at the name, "She was the love of my life."

"What happened to her?" The boy asked walking over to lean on the opposite side of the desk.

"Nothing." Walker shook his head, his smile dissapering, "It was me who something happened to. I was killed on the job before I could ever tell her how I felt..."

Danny's heart sank, "I'm so sorry... Is it okay if I ask how?"

"Prison riot."

Danny felt like crap now. Perfect.

"Oh..." Wow. Ellequent.

Walker sighed and held out his hand to the teen, "Give me the number. I'll let her down myself."

Danny placed the paper in the palm glumly. Well, Spectra was going to be dissapointed. Not that it mattered. Once she found out who he was she'd go back to trying to kill him.

"Penelope Spectra..."

Danny looked up as Walker read off the name.

"Penelope..."

There was a look of recognition in the warden's eyes at the name. There was no way...

"Tell me, does she have red hair?" Walker asked with a frown as he looked up to the boy.

Danny nodded, "Yeah... You're not saying that..."

Walker suddenly smiled and tucked the paper in his breast pocket.

"Nevermind." The warden told him as he stood, "You had better go. I'm sure you have othe things you'd rather be doing."

Danny nodded and turned to leave... As he walked out the door and shut it behind him he shook his head in confusion.

That was officially wierd...

**Gotta love crack pairings! :D I don't know why but i've kind of always thought Walker and Spectra were perfect for one another. **


	19. Home SaWEET home!

**WOO! Getting in the big numbers! Thanks to all who are reviewing! You're the reason I'm continueing. :) If I didn't think anyone was reading I would have quit days ago. And soon enough we get into a very... different part of the story. You fluff lovers will probably like it. But I won't go rushing into it too soon. **

"Walker and Spectra, huh?"

Danny laughed as he fell onto the couch, "Apparently."

Technus remained in his place in his arm chair and hummed thoughtfully. Danny ad come home to find him there, most likely waiting for him.

"They're as perfect together as the Box Ghost and the Lunch Lady," He stated with a shrug, "It makes sense. Ghosts with similarities are drawn to each other."

Danny tilted his head to the side a bit, "The Box Ghost _really _hooked up with the Lunch Lady?" The boy shuddered at the memory of their supposed daughter, fittingly named Box Lunch. Had the idea of her birth not been so disgusting the little girl would have been kind of cute. Adorable even. She couldn't have been more than eight.

"They've been together for a while now." Technus chuckled, "Box Ghost made his move two Christmas parties ago."

"Wow. I'm more out of the loop than I thought..." Danny mused, dragging his legs up onto the couch, "Then again, I really don't want to socialize with those losers."

"If I recall right, I used to be one of those losers," Technus said with a smirk on his lips.

"You're family. You don't count," the halfs shrugged.

"Daniel, your girlfriend called," the father said slowly making Danny look at him in confusion, "She got my number from your parents."

"And?" Danny asked nervously.

"She wants to come and talk to you." Technus told him quietly, "I told her she could, so she's probably on her way."

"How long ago was this?"

"I hung up right before you got back." The elder of the two shrugged, "It may take her a while to get here."

"Lovely." Danny sighed and fell back onto the cushions of the couch with a thump. He was going to relieve that wonderful discussion.

"Well." Technus slapped his hands down on his knees, pushing himself off of the chair he was in, "In the meantime, I have your room ready. You want to go have a look?"

"You put a whole room together for me?" Danny raised a brow, "I was only gone for an hour. And I thought you were busy with Ember."

"I can multitask." Technus began to float from the room, "Come on, then."

Daniel hopped up, wishing he could have stayed lying down. He followed his father down the hall and to a door beside Technus' own. a door that hadn't been there before. It had 'Danny' written across it in metal letters. Technus pushed the door open and revealed a room that Danny wished his room in the real world looked like.

There was a big bed with black sheets. There were posters. Of metal bands all over the walls and plasma screen TVs anywhere else. There was a radio with huge speakers almost as tall as Danny and a computer that obviously wasn't from any store. It had a large monitor with a video game already loaded on the screen. The chair was large with a joy stick and speakers built in. It was like what he had for those few days he was rich.

And then there was the ceiling. Emblazoned on it was his DP insignia in a shining silvery grey paint against a black background and in the middle of it hung a futuristic chandelier. The same design was on the hem of the curtain for the single window on the far wall.

In short, this place ROCKED!

"Happy Birthday, son." Technus told him, placing his hands on Danny's shoulders, "And welcome home."

Danny turned around and hugged the taller ghost around the chest. He smiled when the embrace was returned. He leaned his forehead againt the soft fabric of the trench coat, relaxed. He _had _to get one of those coats. They were cozy even on the outside.

"Thank you, Technus." He said quietly.

"You're welcome," Nicolai responded patting his back, "If you ever need a place to stay you can always come here."

Danny grinned against his father chest, "Does right now count?"

Technus laughed, "Sure."

Danny stepped back and fixed his shades on the bridge of his nose. Which reminded him...

"Why aren't my eyes normal yet?" He asked with a slight frown.

Technus shrugged his wide shoulders, "I suppose the damage was more extensive than I thought. You may very well need glasses from now on."

Danny groaned,"really? But I'll look like a nerd! No offense."

"None taken."Technus said flatly, "My glasses are prescription and they're pretty cool right?"

"Yeah, I guess..." Danny mumbled kicking his foot at the carpet.

There was a knock at the door and both men rushed to answer it. Danny leap frogged over Technus and grabbed the knob to open it. He was half happy and half annoyed to see his girlfriend standing there with his sister.

"Hey Sam. Hey Jazz." He greeted them dryly.

They gawked at him like he had grown a second head. He couldn't figure out why at first but looking down at himself he quickly figured it out. He looked like his alternate future self.

"Oh... This is awkward..." He said more to himself than to them, "I can explain this."

"I would hope so." Sam crossed her arms at him, "You get mad, go into the ghost zone and now you're dressing like your jerky older self!"

"Technus made it for me. I couldn't very well tell him no, could I?" Danny argued defensively, "Besides, weren't you and the others wanting me to spend more time with him?"

"Yes. We wanted you to spend time with Technus. But we didn't want you to turn in to him!" Jazz retorted with her hands on her hips. Her statement confused Danny because she had been away at college through most of this. She must have known what he was thinking because she quickly added, "I know I haven't been around through all of this but it seems to me like you're getting too attached too soon. What about Mom and Dad? How do you think they feel?"

"They forced Technus on me! Why are they so upset that I'm spending time with him?" Danny asked, his tone getting more aggressive, "I'm almost eighteen. I'm old enough to know what's best for me!"

Sam reached out and placed a hand on his arm, "Danny we only came here to make things right. We don't want to fight you." She told him with care, "I'm sorry we were so accusing of you but so much has changed in the last month and we were scared. We all thought we were losing you."

Danny exhaled tiredly and looked back at Technus who looked totally bewildered. After a moment the green ghost hovered over to them.

"Come on in. " He told the girls, "Watch your step."

They entered and were led to the couch. Danny officially deemed it the "talking spot" since that had been where he solved so many of his problems lately.

"This is ... Nice." Jazz said hesitantly at the room around them, "Very.. Advanced."

"Thank you." Technus answered shortly, joining them on the couch with Danny between him and the girls. Somehow talking was more relaxed when everyone was sitting together.

"So, where are you sleeping?" Jazz asked Danny with a forced smile.

"On the couch last night but Technus put a room together for me." Danny answered thumbing toward the man beside him, "You should see it. It rocks."

"Maybe later." Sam said with the same frown.

"He's been feeding you?"Jazz pressed as if she were taking mental notes. Technus looked offended at the fact that she would even ask.

"Yes." The teenage boy rolled his eyes, "You sound like Mom, Jazz."

"Because I'm asking these questions for her." His sister told him, "She wanted to come herself but I told her that wasn't a good idea. All the ghosts, you know."

Danny nodded once, "Then tell her I'm fine. I will come home when I'm ready."

"Danny..." Sam spoke up, "Can I talk to you in private?"

The halfa frowned and rose from the couch. He looked momentarily at Technus who gave him a light smile and nodded for him to go.

Danny took same to his room and closed them in. She looked around and nodded in approval then turned back to him.

"Danny, I'm worried about you." She said, "You've changed so much and I'm afraid that if you change anymore we'll lose you forever."

Danny managed to smile at her, "I'm not going anywhere."

Sam pulled him to her in an almost desperate motion. She wrapped her arms around him and buried her face in his chest. It was times like this that reminded Danny just how close they had become. Even though they didn't go out much or cuddle as much as other couples they cared for each other just the same. Showing their affection just wasn't easy for them.

Danny put his fingers under the goths chin and tilted her face up to look in his eyes. He took off his shades and set them aside.

Danny gently brushed Sam's hair from her face, "I promise. I'm not going anywhere and I'm not changing."

Sam leaned forward and pressed her lips to his softly. Danny leaned in to the kiss and slid his arms around her thin frame. He tilted his head for a better angle and deepened the kiss ever so slightly.

Sam pulled away to smile at him, "You know... The new look is nice but it needs _something_. Maybe... A cape?"

Danny sorted and shook his head, "I don't think so."

The goth laughed and rested her head on his shoulder. Danny could hear her sigh against his neck and feel her breath on his skin.

"I wish we could stay like this." She whispered, "Things would be so much easier for us."

"I dunno. Eating would be pretty difficult." Danny joked earning a playful smack in return.

"But even after all we've been through... All the fights and the trouble," Sam started leaning her head back to look in his eyes with her violet ones, "I still love you."

Danny felt his heart race, "You... You love me?"

Sam nodded with a tinge of pink in her cheeks, "I guess I always have... And as long as you stay the same I always will."

Danny beamed at her and kissed her painted lips tenderly. She loved him! Sam Manson loved _him_! Huh. Paulina was right.

"I better go," Sam said quietly as she reluctantly pulled away from him, "Your mom will be worried."

Danny didn't want her to go but she had to. He nodded and embraced her one final time.

"Take care of Tucker while I'm here." Danny told her humorously.

"I'll get your make up work too," Sam smirked up at him as she peeled his arms away.

"Oh, goodie. Homework." Danny laughed and watched her go.

She turned back and gave him a gentile smile and told him, "Take all the time you need."

He decided to stay in his room as Sam and his sister left. He hated sappy goodbyes. They made him feel like a wuss. He heard Technus say good bye and as he heard the front door shut he sighed happily.

In a fit of joy he threw himself onto his bed. He bounced once then settled on the now messed sheets. He sprawled out across the mattress with a smile.

Everything was starting to work out.


	20. Birthday Boy

**Here's a nice long chapter for you all! What a great way to celebrate the 20th chapter :)**

"Danny..."

The teen stirred in his bed, fighting to remain asleep.

"Danny..."

He rolled onto his side and squeezed his eyes shut. What could possibly be going on that he'd be woken up in the middle of the night.

"It's midnight, Technus. Go away,"

"I'm not your father, Danny."

Blue eyes shot open and Danny sat up in his bed. He looked at the foot of his bed and saw the familiar cloaked figure there. He was hearing a humored smirk and his red eyes were narrow as usual.

"Clockwork!"

Danny scrambled from the bed, falling roughly onto the floor. He got up and pulled his glasses on so he could see properly. He faced the master of time in confusion.

"What are you doing here?" The boy asked glancing around him nervously, "It's 12 in the morning..."

"Yes." Clockwork agreed, "But it is 12 in the morning on your eighteenth birthday."

Danny furrowed his brow, "You woke me up because of my birthday?"

True, he was happy to see Clockwork after all this time but this was a weird way to meet him again.

"Yes. Because you are not the only one celebrating a birthday today." Clockwork told him with one of those allknowing smiles.

Danny just stared at him. Who else in the world could be so important that clockwork would come to Danny about their birthday.

"Who's the other person?" Daniel asked with a frown.

"You."

The halfa's eyes widened slightly. Him? He couldn't possibly be talking about-

"Before you jump to conclusions allow me to explain," The cloacked ghost cut him off, changing from middle aged man to child, "I have no intentions of setting your evil self free. But unfortunately he had other plans..."

"He got out?" Danny cried in a panic.

How could Clockwork have possibly been that careless! He knew everything! If he knew Danny's evil self was going to escape why dind't he prevent it?

"Yes, he got out. And he will come looking for you." Clockwork assured him.

Danny felt all of the blood leave his body, "Why is he coming after _me_? He's the one who screwed up his own future."

That was half true. By going back in time evil Danny changed his own past and made it so he would never exist. Clockwork took care of the rest.

The time ghost sat on the edge of the bed in a very calm fashion, "You see, Danny, your evil self exists outside of time. Nothing that happens in this time period will effect him or his existance." Clockwork paused and looked up at Danny seriously, "That means he can do whatever he wants to you and he will still exist."

Daniel swallowed, "You mean he's coming to waste me?"

"Pretty much," Clockwork nodded, "But he is not as powerful as he was. Four years in a thermos made sure of that."

Danny felt a bit of his nervousness leave him. He'd beated himself before when he was at full streangth. Half wouldn't be too bad... Then again, the first time Dark Danny was only playing with him to kill time.

"I came here to warn you to keep up you guard." Clockwork said, "I can't tell you when he will attack only that he will, for certain. The observants forbid me from dealing with the matter myself."

"You let them tell you what to do?" Dannt crossed his arms with a frown.

"I never said I listened. I'm here aren't I?" Clockwork raised a brow at him, "Besides, this is your fight, Danny Phantom, not mine. You must face him alone. You are the only one who can stop him."

Danny slumped, "I see..."

With that Clockwork reached out to pat him on the arm, "In the meantime, try and enjoy your birthday. Go to your family. They miss you."

"And if I'm with them I can keep them safe..." Danny added, glaring at nothing in particular.

The master of time smirked at him, "Now you're catching on."

And he vanished.

Danny blinked at the place Clockwork had just been and saw nothing. Not even a wrinkle in the bed sheets where he had sat. The boy jumped when his door was opened. His tired father stepped in, woken up by the talking.

"What's going on in here?" Technus asked rubbing his uncovered red eyes, "I thought teenagers liked sleeping."

Danny forced out a nervous laugh, "Sorry, Technus... Nightmare."

The greenskinned man looked up at him blankly, clearly not buying it. Danny stared back for a minute fore the tension of the silence got to him.

"Fine. A friend was here." Danny admitted.

Technus smirked, "That Sam girl?"

"No!" Danny blushed red, "A guy friend!"

Technus just pressed his lips into a line and supressed a comment Danny knew wasn't appropriate.

The teen frowned, "It was Clockwork."

The elder man's face went a bit paler and his jaw slack.

"THE Clockwork?"

"Yeah. "

"And?"

Danny sighed, "He warned me that someone is going to be coming after me. He could attack at anytime."

Technus looked around, "Would he know to look for you here?"

"Probably not. Like everyone else, he doesn't know you're my dad." Danny assured him, "So I'll be safe here for now. But when I go home for my birthday party he'll know right where to find me."

Nicolai frowned deeply, "We could move the party here if you want. I'll put all of the dangerous machines away..."

Danny managed a smile, "That's okay. I should go back. Besides, I have to face this guy if I want to be able to live in peace."

Technus nodded slowly, "I'll go with you. Two heads are better than one. I will watch out for anyone suspicious while you enjoy your party."

Danny smiled brighter, "Sounds like a plan."

Technus yawned loudly and streatched his arms, "YOu should go back to sleep. Can't fight evil with tired eyes."

Danny nodded and slipped back into bed. He closed his eyes and tried to clear his mind. Visions of his evil self kept appearing in his mind. That evil being that killed and destroyed without hesitation could have been him... And recently Danny had begun to look like him and started socializing with a bad crew of ghosts. Was it coincidence that his evil self came back now? Or were the events somehow linked?

What if this was just fate's way of showing him that he was destined to turn into that monster?

Eventually Danny's mind grew tired and he fell alseep from exaustion. He would have to think about it later...

=**DP**=

"Happy Birthday, Danny!" Maddie beamed happily as she threw her arms around her son, "And I'm sorry for yelling at you. It was unfair of me."

Danny hugged her back lovingly, "It's okay." He looked up at Jack with a smile, "Hey, Dad."

"Danny!" Jazz ran down the stairs into the lab and joined their mother in hugging Danny, "You came back for your birthday!"

"Ack! Yes. Now stop choking me!" Danny shouted as he pushed the women off of him. He looked back at the portal he had come through and saw Technus slowly step through.

"Nicky! Good to have you back!" Jack bellowed, slapping Danny's other father on the back.

Technus almost fell at the impact he hadn't been prepared for, "Ow...Thank you, Jack..."

Danny rolled his eyes. Great. Technus is replacing Vlad as Dad's best pal. Now he'd never get them apart.

Jazz pulled him aside from the others quietly. Danny looked up at her curiously.

She had a nervous smile as she said, "I just want to give you some warning about Mom's gift. You won't like it but try not to freak out."

Danny cocked his head, "What is it?"

His elder sister smirked, "You'll have to wait and see. But I just wanted to let you know I told her not to make it."

Danny was a little worried about that but compared to everything else on his mind that was nothing. He was led upstairs and, to his surprise, ther was already a birthday party set up for him there.

"Surprise!"

Danny jumped back when Sam and Tuckmer popped up from behind the kitchen table. After his initial shock was over he grinned and ran over to hug them.

"How did you guys know I'd be back?" He asked, looking to all of them.

"A little birdie told us," Sam whispered with a wink.

Clockwork had come to them too? Or...

"Thanks for the heads up, Technus." Tucker called as the ghost joined them in the kitchen.

"Anything for my boy," Technus laughed, ruffling Danny's tamed hair. He had it combed and everything!

Danny huffed and patted his hair down, "Gee thanks..."

"Hey, birthday boy,"

Danny turned and gasped, "Walker! _You're _here?"

The warden smirked, leaning on the wall beside the door frame, "Your girlfriend tracked me down and insisted I come. And it wouldn't be very good of me turn her down, would it?" The boys boss walked up and patted him once on the shoulder, "Happy birthday, boy. How does it feel to be old enough to be prosecuted as an adult?"

"Pretty good so far." Danny chuckled and turned to Sam, "Who else did you invite?"

The goth smiled, "Why don't you go in the living room and find out?"

Daniel walked past his friends and into the, apparantly loaded, living room.

Everyone he knew was there! From the Box Ghost to the Ghost Writer! Whether Danny liked them or not they were there! Even Dash was there! And Danny couldn't stand him! The most shocking though was that Sam's _parents _showed up! Sam invited all of these people? And they actually showed up?

Well... A lot of these guys would show up just for the free food.

Sam stood beside him and told him quietly, "I invited all of these guys because Technus told me some one was after you. This way if it's any of these guys we can keep an eye on them and maybe fin out who."

Danny frowned at the floor, "That's clever Sam, but it's none of them."

She gave him a worried glance, "It's not? Then who?"

He turned to look at her and a feeling of dread came over him. This creep had tried to kill her and everyone else. How would she react to knowing he was loose.

"I'll tell you later." Danny whispered. He pulled his lips into a smile and said, "Let's just try and have some fun, okay?"

Danny cleared his throat and the crowd, that was talking amungst themselves turned to him. Almost none looked happy but they didn't look angry at least.

"Hey everybody," Danny waved to them, "Thanks for coming to my party."

"It was nothing, deary," The Lunch Lady told him, appearing beside the teen, "Everyone deserves a party on thier birthday."

Danny smiled at the large woman gratefully, "Thank you."

"And tomarrow WE CAN RETURN TO DESTROYING YOU!" She boomed, making some of the ghosts and humans cover their ears. She then gasped shortly and put her hand over her stomache. She looked tired and slightly uncomfortable.

Danny furrowed his brow at her and looked to Sam who just shrugged.

"Hello, ghost child!" Danny jumped when the Box Ghost popped up next to him, "I see you know my bride!"

"Bride?" Dany and Sam asked together.

Eeeew!

The Lunch Lady giggled sweetly, "Of course, dears. We were married nearly a year ago! I catered the wedding."

Danny made a note to not let her know whenever he chose to get married.

"Well... Congratulations!" Danny choked out awkwardly, "Good for you! Any plans for kids?"

The two ghosts exchanged glances then turned to face Danny again blankly. It took Danny a minute to put the pieces together.

"OH!" He suddenly burst out, "Oh, wow! I didn't even notice!" Danny got a slight frown and quickly saved himself with, "You just looked so great I couldn't even tell."

The Lunch Lady is a big lady! How was he supposed to notice?

The apparently pregnant ghost smiled, "Well thank you, Sweety. The little one should come any day now."

Danny felt his eye twitch slightly, "How... Exciting... Sam." He turned to his girlfriend, "Let's go greet the other guests shall we?"

"Gladly." Sam mumbled, also wanting out of this situation.

The afternoon continued on and Danny foundhimself enjoying the company of his enemies. He managed to pin down Ghost Writer for a minute to sincerly apologize for destroying his book. The Writer simply shrugged and told him not to worry about it. Apparantly the second one was much better.

Danny spent a lot of his time talking with ghosts he was on good terms with like Johnny 13, who made a comment about his hair and glasses, and Walker, who was pretty much acting as security. Sam had apparently called him in to secretly watch over the party from the inside while Technus monitored security cameras outside.

It was sad that Technus couldn't be there though. He would have had fun. Danny was surrounded by his enemies. Technus would haev found something in common with most of them.

For the most part though, everything was quiet. Nothing happened that was out of the ordinary, except getting birthday wishes from his enemies. Everything was calm and orderly. A small fight had broken out between Desiree and Kitty but it was quickly ended when Walker threatened to take them both to jail. Apparently they were fighting over who was prettier or something.

Unfortunately, there is always a calm before the storm.

It was getting later in the afternoon, and some of the ghosts were leaving. Danny had gotten some gifts from his enemies, like a pair of riding gloves from Johnny, An "I'm with stupid" t-shirt from Ember and Nyquil from Nocturne who had briefly shown up. How Sam found him Danny would never know. But the gift was funny at least.

Danny sat in the kitchen around the table with his family, friends and a few lingering guests. The Box Ghost and his wife were the only remaining ghosts because the BoxGhost was determined to scare someone eventually. Maddie was desperately trying to get them to leave. Her and Jack were already very uncomfortable with ghosts being in the house. Walker was the only exception since he was Danny's boss.

"Here, Danny." Tucker passed the birthday boy a wrapped box over the table.

Danny thanked him and tore off the paper. Inside was his very own PDA like Tucker's own. He couldn't help but laugh.

"Wow. Thanks, Tuck." He laughed.

"It's for those time when I'm not around." The techno geek said with a smile, "This way you can hack into computers on your own."

Danny chuckled, "Let's hope I'll never have to use it. Thank you Tucker."

"Open mine next!" Jazz told him, shoving a package into his hands and putting his opened gift on the table.

Danny shok his head and unwrapped the gift. It was a scrapbook of all of his adventures. Jazz had spent years making this.

"Wow, Jazz... Thanks!" Danny beamed up at her, "I love it."

"You're welcome, little brother," Jazz hugged him tightly and he placed the gift on the table, passing the empty box off to the waiting Box Ghost, who cheered happily at aquiring a new "weapon".

"My turn." Danny's mom piped up and pulled out a round package that looked like fabric that had been wrapped.

Danny hesitantly took it, remembering what his sister had said. He pulled back the paper and held in a groan at what he saw.

A cape.

A freakin' cape.

"Well 'Go Ghost' and try it on, sweety!" Maddie insisted.

Danny sighed and transformed quickly. Before he could put the cape on himself his mother grabbed it and shoved it over his head. Danny looked down at himself and couldn't believe he was wearing this thing. It was identicle to the one his evil elf wore. At this point you could have put the two side by side and barely be able to tell the difference.

"Thanks mom..." He mumbled with a slight tinge of pink in his embarrassed face.

Danny looked to Sam when she grabbed him by the hand. She gave him a soft smile before speaking.

"We've been through so much over these last four years..." She startd quietly, "I didn't want to just get you any old gift. I wanted to make it special."

Danny smiled and put both of his hands around hers, "You don't need to get me anything, Sam."

Sam's parents gagged in the background. Hero or not, he still wasn't okay in their book.

"But I did get you something. Something very special," Sam stood and pulled Danny off to the side.

Danny raised a brow at her as she reached in her pocket, lowering herslef onto one knee. Tucker burst out laughing with Jack at the sight and Danny rolled his eyes toward the ceiling.

"Oh, that's just wrong." Jazz giggled, covering her mouth.

Danny smiled down at Sam waiting for her to speak. She grinned up at him and pulled a plain silver band from her pocket.

"Danny Fenton, will you marry me?"

Danny couldn't help but laugh, "_I'm _supposed to ask _you _that!" He pulled her to her feet and took the ring from her, "But of course I will."

The two kissed and the family in the room clapped. Sam's mother fainted and her father stared in shock. Danny slipped the ring on his hand and admired it in silence. This was the best gift Sam could have given him. And after nearly four years of dating it was about time! He was kind of embarrassed that he hadn't asked her yet.

"Oh, isn't that sweet."

Danny whipped around as a chill went up his spine.

Everyone gasped when they saw a blue skinned figure with flaming white hair flying above them in the kitchen. In his hand he held an unconcious Technus by the front of his coat. He had been beaten badly and his glasses broken on his face. There was no mistaking who the culprit was. Anyone who had sen him would never forget him.

Evil Danny Phantom.

"You!" Danny growled out, "Put him down!"

"Gladly," Danny's evil self said with a fanged grin.

He roughly threw Technus down onto the table, smashing into the opened presents and sending the cake flying into the wall. The scientists limp form just stayed where it fell like he were dead a second time.

Danny ran to his father and rolled him onto his back. Technus groaned and his eyes fluttered open for a moment. But it lasted only a moment before he fell back into darkness.

"Making friends with the enemy, Danny?" His older self teased, "Even I didn't take that route."

"Who are you supposed to be?" Jack asked, pullinmg an ecto gun from his jumpsuit.

"You aren't on the guest list, ghost!" Maddie said pointing a much larger gun at him.

Dark Danny rolled his red eyes with a smirk, "Oh, please." He fired two blasts that knocked Danny's parents back, causing them to fall down the stairs intot he lab.

"Mom! Dad!" Danny called out. He turned to his evil self, "You're here for me, leave everyone else alone!"

"Gladly." The larger 'Phantom suddenly flew foreward and grabbed Danny by the collar. He turned them intangible and flew them up through the roof.

Danny fought him off just as they exited the building. He pushed away from his older self and glared at him hatefully.

"What? We spend 14 years together and I don't get so much as a Happy Birthday?" The evil ghost asked refering to when he split from his human half.

"You aren't me!" Danny spat, "You don't deserve to be here!"

"And you shouldn't be here at all..." Dark Danny hissed as he charged up a blast, "You may look like me, but you still don't stand a chance,"

Danny narrowed his eyes behind his shades, "We'll see about that."


	21. Birthday Brawl

**It's not over yet! More action to come!**

"THAT'S who's after him?" Sam was freaking out! She had just gotten engaged, Danny couldn't get killed now!

"We have to help him!" Jazz cried as she ran down to the lab to get some weapons.

"Does this happen a lot here?" The Lunch Lady asked in a gentle tone. Why she was sticking around Sam had no idea.

"This only happened once before and we all almost died because of it." Sam told her, "You should go. You need to protect your baby."

The green woman nodded and rushed away, pulling her husband behind her. He was having a bit of a fit because Dark Danny Was scarier than him.

"What should we do?" Tucker asked with a tone that was almost hopeless.

"Anything we can." Sam answered, "You go help Jazz. I'll stay with Technus."

Tucker nodded and ran down the stairs. Sam turned to the ghost lying on the table and reached out to grasp his hand carefully. Her own parents had left so she was the only one her to take care of him while everyone else was fighting.

The master of technology groaned in his sleep and tried to move but couldn't. He was badly beaten. A human would be dead from the injuries he blows he must have taken. Technus was lucky to be a ghost.

Sam brushed his stray hairs from his face, "Please be okay... Danny can't do this without you..."

=**DP**=

Danny ducked as a green blast flew past his head. Flying with a cape was definately not as easy as it looked! The wind was pulling on it everywhere.

Danny gathered up in ice energy in his palms and focused it at his older self. The evil ghots wasn't expecting it so the blast hit him, freezing him around the center of his body. Danny took that oportunity to fly foreward and kick his older self in the chest roughly.

Dark Danny tumbled back though the air, strungling against his ice bonds. With a shout his arms broke free and he growled up at Danny.

"Neat trick, kid." He ground out with a hand over his chest, "I dont remember that power.."

"That's because you never got it." Danny mocked him, "Amazing the things you learn when you have _friends_!"

The evil ghost roared and threw himself at the teen and grabbed him by the neck. Danny gasped for air as he was forced toward the ground. He braced himself just before his body collided with the pavement. He felt a bone in his back pop on impact but it didn't break. Some cars screeched to a halt before hitting them and one turned just inches from them and hit a telephone pole. People were running and screaming from the scene. But that was better than anyone getting killed.

Focusing his power through his eyes he blasted the much large Danny off of him.

Dark Danny landed a few feet away, kicking up dust from the street. Normal Danny sat up with a grunt and pulled himself to his feet.

"So what do I call you, anyway?" He asked looming over his older counterpart.

The ghost pulled himself up and glared at him, "Dan. Dan Phantom... Danny was so immature."

Danny scoffed, "Sam likes it."

Dan suddenly blasted him backward with a powerful green beam. Danny shouted as he was blown though a brick wall and into a vacated apartment. He slid on his back over the tile floor, his suit keeping him from being cut by debri.

Before he could get his barings his ankles were grabbed and he was thrown again into another wall. Danny collided roughly with it but didn't go through it. He fell to the floor with a pounding pain in his back. He tried to pull himself up but was harshly kicked in the stomache.

"You think you can just imprison me and live happily ever after?" Dan asked, grunting as he stuck out at Danny again, "I don't think so."

Danny glared up at him though his shades and wiped some ectoplasm from his lip. He inhaled and let loose a medium streangth ghostly wail on his enemy. Dan covered his ears and was carried backwards by the blow. He flew out the window and down to the street again. Danny stopped the assult and pulled himself quickly to his feet. he ran to the gaping hole in the wall and jumped out, gliding down to his disoriented foe.

Danny created disks of energy and began turning them loose on his older self. This tactic held off Vlad for long enough. So why not now?

Danny shrieked in pain when he was suddenly attacked from the front and the back at the same time. His knees buckled under him and he fell on them.

He looked up and saw two Dans standing over him with identical grins.

"I saw that coming a mile away, Danny," They said as they merged into one.

Danny breathed heavily, slowly backing away from his evil self. He crawled back and met a telephone pole. He jumped when he felt the electricity spark adn dance over his fingers. It was like a touch from an old friend. So warm and soothing... Calling out to him.

Could it be...?

Dan grabbed him quickly by the throat and rammed him into the pole, with enough streangth to crack it. Danny cried out as his head was roughly jarred on impact. He could feel a small amount of blood trickle down the nape of his neck.

"You can't win Danny," Dan told him, spitting out his name like acid, "You've lost your edge."

"Or maybe I just gained a new one!" Danny hissed, raising his hand to the elders face.

Like a bolt of lightening, electricity shot from his fingers. It shocked dan with who even knew how many volts. Danny stared at his own accomplishment in shock. No pun intended. He'd really done that?

Dan released him and stumbled back. Danny fell and regained his footing. He looked at his fingers as sparks spouted from them freely. Was this a new power?

The teen looked up as Dan laughed loudly.

"Isn't that cute. You make sparkles." Dan taunted him, "It will take more than a pretty light show to stop me."

Danny glared and bared his own teeth as he clenched his fists, "I have plenty more, if you can take it!"

With that the two ran at it each other like lions fighting. They were both met by a fist swinging at their face and they both were knocked back. But they didn't let up. A moment after the blow they were grappling again. They ripped and tore ruthelessly at one another, trying to find that one place of weakness on the other.

Danny noticed that Dan's suit tore easier than his own. Technus had made Danny's special. t was made to keep him safe. Dan's was little more than spandex.

Danny lit up his hand with green ecto energy and grabbed at his opponents face, he clawed at the blue flesh, leaving long scratches burning on the skin. Dan shouted in pain and punched Danny hard in the side of his head. The teen fell onto the concrete, blood pounding in his skull.

He cried out when the heel of Dan's boot ground into his ribs. He opened his green eyes to see the man staring down at him, his gaze burning with hatred.

"Why should you get to be happy?" Dan asked coldly as he stomped down on Danny's ribs once.

Danny shrieked in pain when he felt on snap under the blow.

Dan moved his foot to rest on Danny's right knee. "Why should you be cared for when I was exiled?" He stamped down painfully on the bone.

Dannytried to get up and move but a powerful blast knocked him back down.

"Why should you get to be the one engaged to Sam?" The evil Danny asked as his foot came down on Danny's knee one again. There was an audible crack at it shattered under his boot.

Danny screamed in agony. This was far worse than the pain he endured when Technus was torturing him. It was so great that he was forced back into his human form.

Dan growled and continued to stomp down, "Where's." "My." "Happy." "Ending?"

Danny writhed helplessly as his right leg was brutally crushed and battered. Tears were pouring rom Danny's radioactive green eyes against his will. The pain was far too great.

Dan suddenly grabbed Danny by the collar and hoisted him off of the ground to eye level.

"I should kill you now and give you the future you should have had in the first place." Dan told him lowly, "But I want to make you suffer. I want you to endure what I endured for 10 years."

Danny gaped as he was thrown into another building. He yelped as his broken knee was twisted on impact. He fell to the ground in a heap.

He pulled himself up weakly onto his remaining knee and looked up at his attacker, "You could have had this future if you wanted it. You're the reason your life is like this..."

Dan scoffed, "You don't get it. You _are _me! Everything that happens to me is _your _fault! _You _chose to cheat and _you _chose to rip us in half!"

"I didn't chose to cheat. _You _did. You are _not _me!" Danny rebuttled, "You're only half of me. All you are is my anger and ghost powers. _I _would have never attacked our family or put innocent people in harms way. _You _did all of those things and faced the consiquences for them."

Dan was on him faster than Danny could blink. The teen was shoved onto the ground roughly and dan kneeled over him dominantly.

"_You _got a second chance!"

Danny stared as a new expression came over his evil self's face. It looked almost... Sad.

"Why didn't I get a second chance? You got to keep your family and I lost mine!" Dan screamed, his fangs bared, "It wasn't fair! This should be my party!"

Danny was too stunned to speak. He just gaped when the smallest ghost of a tear appeared in his alternate self's eye. It didn't fall but it was there.

"I never got to say goodbye..."

The teenager couldn't believe what he was hearing. Dan was feeling _regret_! He actually regretted his life! He actually _missed _his family and was angry with Danny because he got to keep his.

"Dan,I..."

"Save it, brat!" Dan spat, picking Danny up only to slam him back down, "I don't want your pity! I want your life!"

Danny gasped as his wind pipe was constricted. He clawed at the gloved fingers but couldn't pull them away.

"Goodbye, Danny Fenton." Dan ground out qith a smirk, "I'd like to say it was nice knowing you..."

"Let my son go!"

Danny turned his eyes quickly to the sound of the voice. Dan also looked, causing him to drop Danny. The teen gasped for air roughly but couldn't seem to get enough.

Danny rolled himself onto his stomache and pulled himself away as dan stood to face his rescuer. When he was a good enough distance Danny turned back. Technus was standing in the street, his lightening rod in hand. And he looked _very _pissed off.

"Your son?" Dan asked, utterly confused, "You aren't our father!"

"Actually I am." Technus said cooly, "You just never got to find out." He knew who Dan was?

"You know who I am?" Dan asked, mimiking Danny's thoughts.

Technus frowned deaper, "Of course. You look just like him... But bigger..."

Danny would have laughed if he weren't in so much pain.

"No. No. NO! You are not my father!" Dan shouted, distraut, "You're lying!"

"It's true, Daniel." Technus told him, "My blood is in your viens. You can ask your mother if you don't believe me."

Dan pounced on Technus agressivly, but his emotion made him sloppy and Technus just moved out of the way. Dan fell to his knees, shock over taking him.

"I hate you..." He said quietly, "I always hated you... And you hated me. You can't be my father!"

Technus just stood there, the same angry expression on his face. He stepped behind the more muscular ghost and raised his lightening rod.

"I may be your father," Technus started, "But you are not my son."

Technus brought the weapon down, sending volts of power through Dan's body. Dan shook and shouted in pain. Danny looked away and covered his eyes.

After a moment Technus let up and Dan fell foreward onto the pavement. Technus then turned to Danny.

"Danny!" He dropped his weapon and ran over, pulling the teen to him carefully, "danny are you alright?"

Danny hissed in pain as he was moved, "Ah! My knee!"

Technus set him back down quickly and looked at the mentioned appendage. Blood wassoaking Danny's jeans around his kneecap. Technus frowned deeply and looked around.

"Don't worry. I'll get you out of this." He told the boy.

"What about you? I thought you were hurt,"Danny said, confused as to how Technus had gotten there.

The master of technology smiled, "You said it yourself. No one messes with you and your dad."

Danny smiled faintly but it dissapereed when a laugh came from behind Technus. He looked and Dan was pulling himself back up.

"Shit." Danny mumbled.

Dan turned to face them with an insane smile, "ISn't that cute... You have two dad's now! Isn't that nice?"

Technus stood and placed himself between Danny and Dan. It was then that Danny noticed the man was limping and wasn't moving his left arm very much. He was still badly hurt.

"You think you can stop me, old man?" Dan asked, knowing the answer already, "In my future I'm the most powerful ghost on the planet. What makes you think you stand a chance?"

Technus sneered, "I don't have to stand a chance. I just have to keep you away from Danny."

This seemed to piss Dan off further.

"Fine. You want the boy? You can have him." Dan suddenly charged up a bright grren blast and relaeased it at Danny.

Danny shrieked at it whipped around Technus and hit him. The pain was unlike any he had encountered before. His body shook and his heart waspounding in his chest as the blast ripped through him.

"_**DANNY**_!"

The smell of blood filled the air and everything went black.


	22. Down and Out

**That ending probably left some of you guessing exactly what happened to Danny. **_**Did **_**he die?**

**Well You'll have to read and find out. I hope I don't dissapoint and you enjoy this chapter as well as the ones to come. **

There was a silence in Amity Park that day. Any who were watching were stunned and those who heard about it refused to believe. And as Technus flew away with his son in his arms, all watched. The gasped and stared in awe at the site.

Some prayed for the boy, pleading with whatever god they believed in.

Their hero, Danny Phantom, was beaten.

The feeling in the fenton household was no better. As Technus phased though the door they all turned and gasped. Maddie cried at the site of her little boy in this condition. Sam ran up and tried to shake him awake. But the boy's eyes stayed closed.

Technus remained silent as he carried his son to his room. Blood was soaking his coat but he ignored it like it wasn't even there. He was in a type of trance and didn't seem to notice anything but the boy in his arms.

He laid Danny on his bed, the boys arms at his sides. The master of technology fell to his knees and burried his face in his hands. His son's blood smeared across his skin but it didn't matter. That would wash off. But this... This would not be so easy.

There was nothing to fix this now.

"Technus?"

The ghost looked up to see Sam in the door. He made no sound or movement as she walked into the room. She joined him at the bed side, her expression haggard and scared.

"Is he..." She paused as tears started to pour from her eyes, "He can't really be... gone can he?"

Technus looked from her to the boy, "He's breathing... But he won't wake up..."

Sam sat on the bed and looked over the gruesom injuries. This didn't even look like the same boy. His face was burned, his hair matted and his legs... It was too horrible.

Sam ran her hand over Danny's stiff body. She stoked down his waist to his thigh. She trailed her fingers down his right leg and came to a stop above his knee.

Or, where his knee was supposed to be...

The final blow from 'Dan' was meant to kill Danny. And if Technus hadn't been standing in the way it might have. The curve it had to take to hit the boy made the blow miss it's target and hit Danny in the leg. In a spray of blood and bone the ecto blast severed the limb just above the knee.

The goth pulled back her hand and sobbed. She turned to technus and grabbed him by the arm with shaking hands "Please tell me he'll be okay! Tell me you can save him!"

Technus stared at her, a sullen look on his face. He turned to look at Danny silently. The boy's chest was rising and falling so slowly you wouldn't have thought he was alive at all. This was far worse than the fight Danny had had with Plasmius. And he probably would be dead then if Technus hadn't come to save him again. Technus was grateful to Sam for that. If she hadn't woken him in time he never would have been able to make it to Danny in time.

Technus turned back to the girl and grasped her small hands in his to pull them off of him, "I'll do what I can."

"Promise me you won't let him die." Sam told him seriously.

"I promise." He told her with a nod, "I'll do everything in my power to save him."

Sam then stood and left the room, tears streaking her face. Technus turned back to the wounded boy and stroked his hair gently. He would have given anything for the boy to move or give any sign of life. But Danny just laid there, still and cold.

"Don't give up on us now, Danny..." He whispered, "We all still need you..."

=**DP**=

Everything was black and cold. The world seemed to disapere, leaving Danny alone and in pain. He was in agony but at the same time he was numb. He couldn't move or even open his eyes.

Everything was dark. There was nothing. His powers left him and his sences were useless. He couldn't hear, he couldn't smell, he couldnt see... He couldn't even tell how long he had been like this.

There was simply nothing left.

But something in his mind kept Danny going. He didn't know what it was but it reached out and seemed to touch his soul. He couldn't have described it but it felt like a hand reaching out to him. It seemed to be telling him that everything would be okay.

The teen put everything he had left into trying to wake up. But it was in vain. He had nothing to give. He was beaten and tired. There was nothing he could do. All he could do was hope he would wake up and be able to see his family again.

He definately needed to see Sam again. He needed to get out of this so they could be together and get married.

It was funny... Everything seemed so clear now. Danny could see everything he really wanted and understood everything that had happened to him.

He discovered that he had wanted to marry Sam all along. He wanted to be with her forever, to raise a family and grow old with her. He wanted to have children of his own that he could care for and give everything to. He didn't need to be popular or liked. He just needed his family and the ones he loved around him to be happy. That's all he ever needed.

All those years he wasted on worrying what others thought... He was the only one who could tell him who to be and it took this to realise that.

He had made such a fuss over looking like his older, evil self and now he could see that he was freaking out for no reason. It doens't matter if he looks like Dan, it matters if he acts like Dan. A cape and tied up hair wouldn't turn him evil. His actions were what seperated him from that monster. If Danny stayed true to his family he would never become what he hated. He could still be a hero.

But first, he had to get out of this. He needed to go back to his family and make sure they were okay. And he couldn't do that from here.

Daniel focused his mind and tried to think of a way out. He tried to mentally will his way out. There had to be a way to wake up. He refused to be stuck in this hell forever.

Danny fought with all of his power, pushing as hard as he could. He pushed as long as he could when suddenly everything lit up.

A bright light filled his vision and Danny felt a warmth come over his body. He could feel the wind on his face and the sun on his skin again. Opening his eyes Danny gasped at what he saw.

It wasn't amity Park as he knew it. It was something newer and brighter. The buildings were taller and the cars flew past him through the air. He was standing in the middle of the street.

Danny looked around him and down at himself. Even he was different. His body was thicker and his limbs longer. He was wearing a long black coat and white gloves over his hands. He reached up to touch his face and found the smallest bit of facial hair on his jaw line and chin.

What was going on?

Danny walked foreward as he looked around for his family. How did he get here and were was everyone else?

"There you are!" A voice called from behind him.

Seemingly against his will Danny turned and faced what apparently was Technus. But he wasn't dressed like Technus. He was wearing a pair of black slacks and a white shirt and tie. His father walked up to him and tossed an arm around his now broad shoulders.

"Come on. You can't miss your own birthday party can you?" Technus asked with a smirk.

Danny found himself laughing but didn't know why. Was this really him or was he looking though anothers eyes? He seemed to have lost control of his body and was now walking down the street with Technus and up the stairs of a very nice looking house.

Inside was just as nice. And full of people.

Danny would have flinched if he could have when a group of excited children ran at him. Instead he kneeled and held his arms open to were three. Two of the kids jumped on him and hugged his neck happily. The other hung back with a smile.

Two of them were identical girls with long white hair and blue eyes. They grinned up him with gaptoothed smiles where teeth were missing. The other was a boy who had black messy hair and violet eyes. He looked uncannily like Danny. He was taller and obviously a few years older. He couldn't have been older than ten.

"Daddy, Daddy! You're back!" One of the girls squeeled.

Daddy?

"It's about time."

Danny looked up and his heart lept when he saw a very beautiful woman standing in a doorway to his left. Her long black hair fell on her shoulders and she wore a black and purple dress that touched the floor.

Danny felt himself rise and walk over to her. They embraced and kissed quickly.

"Sorry, Sam. I neeeded some air." He told her, in a voice that was clearly his own.

The woman, who was apparantly Sam smiled at him with those same purple lips, "With all these kids in the house I don't blame you."

Danny was pulled through the door she was in and into a large living room. All around him there were photos of the three children playing, birthday parties of years past and group photos of Danny and his friends on graduation and several other occasions. It was almsot surreal to see all of this.

Was this is future?

"I know you're busy from your work but Walker decided to give you today off to celebrate." Sam told him as they walked through the den into the kitchen.

Danny still worked for Walker? Was there no getting away from him?

"I figured he would. I am his deputy after all." Danny's body said a smirk on his lips.

Deputy? he had gotten promoted?

He took Bullet's place?

Sam laughed and sat him down at the table. Technus came in a few minutes later with the little girls in his arms. They were pulling his hair and giggling but Technus didn't seem to mind.

"Violet! Lilith! Leave your grandpa alone." Danny told them.

"It's fine. They're just kids." Technus said as he put them down, "They would probably like bothering grandpa Jack more though."

The girls grinned from ear to ear as they ran away. This was so bizzar.

Danny straitened as hands landed on his shoulders. He looked up and saw Tucker smiling down at him. But it wasn;t the Tucker that he had always known. It was a grown up Tucker. He was a bit more fit and he was wearing a suit.

"Hey, birthday boy," Tucker said witha smile.

"Hey, Tuck," He responded happily, "How's the wife?"

Tucker sighed, "Great. How are you and your little pack?"

Danny smirked against his will, "Pretty good. Jasper just turned nine last month."

Jasper? Who was-

"He knows, dad. He was there." The eldest of the children said walking in the room.

"Oh, yeah. I forgot," Grown Danny answered.

There was a knock at the door and Sam went to answer it. Not a minute later there was a loud scream of joy and jasper was suddenly knocked down by an excited little girl.

Danny hopped up and leaned over the table to look. What he saw surprised him.

"Box Lunch, get off!" Jasper said, trying to push the girl off of him.

"Jasper, I missed you!" The little girl cried, hugging the nine year old tightly.

Box Lunch? _She _was friends with _Danny's _son? Wow... That made almost no sense.

"Box Lunch, get off of the poor dear."

Danny looked to his right to see the Lunch Lady, who had lost some weight, and the Box Ghost, who looked a lot... tougher. He looked basically like he had when Danny went to the alternate future of his evil self. Only this Box Ghost was a lot less angry and was wearing a shirt.

"Thanks for coming." Sam said to them as she walked back in the kitchen.

"Dad, can we go play in the back yard?" Jasper asked aftr pulling himself off of the tile floor.

"Go ahead." Daniel told him with a soft smile.

The two kids thanked him and ran out into the hall. Danny walked after them, his company behind him.

"I don't know how you can deal with three." The box Ghost told him with a shake of his head.

Danny looked over at him and shrugged, "It takes patience I guess."

As they walked down the hall Danny was having a mental war. This was so confusing! He was friends with the Box Ghost? When did that happen? And how far in the future was this?

The group went to the back door after the kids and as Danny walked out he was amazed by the sight before him.

His children were playing with other ghost children. They were flying and diving through the air through an obsitcal course play ground. Who these other kids belonged to danny would never know but it was magnificent to see. Looking around further Danny saw adult ghosts talking and socializing amungst eachother.

He saw Kitty and Johnny 13 with their arms around one another, talking to Ember who was now dressed in a skirt and blouse. That must be her formal wear. Danny didn't know exactly what they were talking about so he moved on.

Danny turned to Sam who was standing beside him with a smile. She put her arms aorund him and gently kissed his lips.

"Happy birthday, Dan."

Danny wanted to know more about this world. He had so many questions. But before they could be answered he was suddenly ripped from the vision like some one was pulling on the back of his shirt.

He was forced back into darkness before the world formed around him again. This time he was in a more familiar setting. His bed room.

The smell of blood was still on him as he slowy opened his eyes. He felt ill and hungry at the same time. He could feel deviced that were strapped to his fingers and veins. His arms and legs were unable to move. They must have been strapped down.

What was going on?

Danny's heartrate sped up when he thoubght back to the battle he had encountered with his evil self. He'd never been in such a vicious fight and he almost paid the ulitimate price for it.

He must have almost died.

"Danny? Are you finally awake?"

Danny rolled his eyes to his left and saw Sam at his side.

"Sam?" Danny's voice was no more than a weak whisper.

"Danny!" She threw her arms around his neck and held him tightly, "Thank god you're okay! We were afraid you weren't going to make it!"

Danny could feel her tears falling on his bare chest and he would have held her if we were able to move his arms.

"How long was I out?" Danny asked with a painfully dry throat.

Sam sat up and looked down at him with a saddened face.

"You've been in a coma." She told him, "You've been unresponsive for a month."

**Danny's vision/ dream sequence was very hard to write but I hope it came across well. It's not easy to write that kind of thing.**


	23. Crippled

**Thank you all for the reviews and adding my story to your alerts! I'm flattered ^^ Here's another chapter for you all :)**

"I was in a COMA?"

Danny was on the verge of hyperventilating from the shock. This couldn't be happening! He was out for a MONTH! The halfa tanked on his restraints in a desperate attempt to get free.

"Danny, calm down!" Sam demanded, "You can't over exert yourself yet!"

Danny thrashed in the bed, "Get me out of this thing!"

"Danny stop!" Sam told him, "You'll rip your stiches out!"

Danny breathed heavily as he ripped his bons from the bed and sat up. He pulled himself to a sitting position and began pulling the monitoring eqipment off of him. He threw the wires away from him. Sam shouted at him to sto but he didn't listen. He had to get out of here and make sure everyone was okay! Who knew what kind of trouble Dan caused while he was in his coma!

Danny swung his weak legs off of the bed and tried to stand. His left leg held up well enough but his right leg buckled under him and he fell to the floor.

"Danny!" Sam ran around the bed and to his side. She helped him up with care.

Danny turned and looked back at his leg. He remembered it breaking but now it just felt strange.

His body went cold when he saw the real damage.

His leg was gone! From just above his knee down his right leg had been replaced with a mechanical limb.

"No!" Danny cried, reaching out to grab the limb, not believing it were really there, "No! It's not possible!" He rounded to look at Sam, "What happened to my leg?"

She swallowed and diverted her eyes away, "You evil self blew it off. Technus made you a new leg to save your life."

Danny was shaking. This couldn't be happening!

Sam took a deep breath and continued, "Danny, you almost died. Technus barely managed to keep you alive..."

Danny stared at her, not wanting to believe what he was hearing.

Danny looked back at the metal limb and stared silently. He tried to will it to move but nothing happened. It was limp and useless. He was crippled.

He was broken.

"Will I ever be able to walk again?" Danny asked finally.

Sam put her hand on his bare shoulder lightly, "It may take some time but you will. We won't give up on you, I promise."

Danny managed a weak smile and allowed her to help him up. She led him to a wheel chair that was already ready for him. Danny reluctantly sat in it and was wheeled out of the room. He was carefully moved down the stairs and into the living room.

"Hey, everybody," Sam called as they entered, "Look who's finally awake."

Danny forced a smile as he family turned to look at him. His mother was the first out of her seat and raced over to embrace him.

"My baby!" Maddie wept, "You're okay!"

Danny winced at the pain in his ribs but hugged her back slightly. The woman let him go and stood.

"I'll go get you some water. You must be thirsty." His mother said as she hurried from the room.

Danny watched her go before looking at the men. Jack and Technus had been playing checkers before Danny and Sam arrived. But now niether looked very interested in the game. They were both staring at Danny with wide eyes like he was about to explode at any second.

Danny looked away from them and to his right leg. He wanted to go to them and hug them but if he tried to stand he would fall on his face. He had felt helpless before but all of those times paled in comparison. This time he truely was helpless.

"How do you feel?" Jack asked quietly, obvious concern in his voice.

"Like crap." Danny replied, looking up at him, "But I guess I'd rather feel like crap than be dead."

Jack gave him a half hearted smile and looked to Technus. He nodded his head in Danny's direction and Technus stood.

The master of technology walked to the injured teen, his face full of regret. He rung his hands nervously as he stood in front of Danny.

"I know you must be upset," Technus started, "But I had no choice."

Danny dropped his head slightly, staring at his metal foot, "I know... You did what you had to."

Technus put a hand on the boy's shoulder soothingly, "But I promise, I will make this right. I'll spend hours with you a day if I have to if it will get you back on your feet."

Danny looked up at him with a small smile, "I would like that."

Technus smiled at him and looked down at Danny's right leg. He exhaled tiredly but looked otherwise proud of the apendage. He must have built it like himself.

Technus stepped aside when Maddie rushed back in with a glass of cold water for Danny. The teen took it gratefully and chugged it down. It felt amazing on his dry throat.

"Let's get you dressed," Sam said as she led him awwy from the group.

Danny looked back at her curiously as she took him into the bathroom. She started to fill up the tub and he frowned.

"You are not giving me a bath." He told her, a tinge of pink in his face.

She looked back at him with a smirk, "What? got something to hide from your fiance?"

Danny had almost forgotten that. He looked down at his left hand and saw that he was still wearing the ring.

He was in the middle of thought when Sam suddenly tipped the wheelchair and poured danny into the filling tub. He fell in with a shout of surprise and a splash. The water broke his fall but his injuries still hurt.

"A little warning would have been nice," He told Sam as he sat up poperly. He put his hands under his right leg and lifted it up to rest on the edge of the tub.

Sam ignored him and shut off the water when it reached just under the top of the basin. She reached behind her and pulled a hand held mirror off of the counter top. She silently held it to Danny so he could look at himself.

Danny was speechless. His face was dirty and had had scabs from his healing injuries. His hair was a knotted, greesy mess. He looked like a truck had run him over!

"You want that bath now?" Sam asked raising a brow.

Danny tossed the mirror away before responding.

"Well, I'm not taking one with you in the room." He told Sam flatly.

With that sam left the room, leaving Danny to clean himself. He bathed carefully, making sure not to pull open any stitches or hurt his already sore ribs. There was a scar across his chest where they must have cut him open to fix his broken rib.

He scrubbed his hair and dunked himself under water to rinse out the soap. Dried blood was washed out with the soap and the dirt.

Danny lingered in the water for a long time before sitting up and pulling himself out. Sam apparently had already laid clothes out for him before he had even woken up s there was already a change of clothes. He slipped out of his soaked boxers, that sam didn't let him take off before dumping him in the bath, and put on the clean outfit. That was difficult to do without the ability to stand.

After he was dressed Danny sat on the floor in silence. He looked around him and thought about his last fight.

Dan was going to kill him... But he didn't actually do it. He had to have known Danny was still alive. So, why did he let Technus take Danny and leave?

And what was all that stuff about Danny getting the second chance and not Dan? Did Dan really just want Danny's life? Was he jealous of the fact that Danny's family lived? That was why he hated him so much?

And what was that power Danny had used? Was that something he got from Technus? He'd never had electricity powers before. And that had to have hurt Dan more than he let on. Danny could feel the power from it.

Danny groaned from frustration and ran his hands through his wet hair.

Everything was going so well now this! He looked to the wheelchair and glared daggers at it. He would have to use this rediculous thing until he learned to walk. As if he didn't get picked on enough.

Danny grabbed the edge of the counter and heaved himself from the floor. He put his weight onto his left leg as he rose to a standing position.

Once he was standing Danny let out a long breath as he slowly put some of his weight on his right leg. But as soon as he did pain shot through his injury and he fell to his knees, which made it hurt worse. Danny pounded his fist against the floor with a frustrated growl.

"Come on, Fenton. You can do this!" He told himself quietly as he triedto stand again.

As soon as he got to his feet he braced himself. Falling again would only hurt him more. Standing on both feet he let go of the counter top and straightened. With even breaths he lifted his right foot to take a step. But the unexpected heaviness threw him off balance and he fell foreward into the wheel chair.

Danny groaned and pulled himself into the seat. If this was going to be his future then he didn't look forward to it.

But that dream he had... It felt so real. Was that really his future? Or was that a future he could have had? Or was it just a dream and that was it? If so it was a cruel dream that was far too tempting to remain in. Right now Danny waas wishing he could still be dreaming and not be living in this reality.

From now on he was going to be a half ghost cripple. A freak.

Danny wheeled himself out of the bathroom glumly and to his room. He didn't want to take on the stairs by himself. That would probably result in more injuries. So, he settled for sitting in his room.

Danny pushed on the wheels and rolled in front of his desk and stared at the papers on top of it. The folder with the donor information was still there. The papers were scattered across the surface of the table recklessly. Danny picked up the photo that was sitting on top and stared at it sadly. But at the same time he felt happy.

This was where it all started. Danny had thought at the time that his life would be ruined with Technus as his father. But he couldn't have proven himself more wrong.

Not only was Technus a pretty okay Dad, he had saved Danny's life twice! Danny owed him big time. Danny smiled at the memories he had gained in spending time with his new dad.

In your face Vlad.

He wouldn't even be here now if Technus hadn't come into his life.

"Hey..."

Danny looked to the door and saw Sam standing in the door way. He turned the wheel chair to face her.

"What's up?" He asked her with a smile.

The goth entered with a half hearted one, "While you were sleeping The Box Ghost and The Lunch Lady had their baby."

Danny felt his heart lift a bit at the memory of the adorable little girl from his dream.

"Good for them!" Danny said, his smile turning to a grin, "A girl?"

"Yep. I figure you already know the name." Sam said with a light laugh.

Danny chuckled, "I can guess."

Sam walked closer, fiddling with her fingers.

"I was just wondering..." She started slowly, "If you wanted to go visit them? They sent out an invite to see her after she was born but we couldn't just leave you here alone."

Danny took her hand in his and rolled himself to the door, "I'd love to. It will take my mind of things."

Sam beemed at his improved mood and took hold of the handles of the chair. She took him carefully downstairs and rolled him to the lab. Tucker was already there and ready inn the Specter Speeder.

"We decided to give Technus a break, since he took care of you all month," Sam explained, leaning over the back of the chair, "He's not coming with us."

"But what if Dan finds us in the ghost Zone?" Danny asked with great concern.

The goth shook her head, "He won't show up. Technus doens't think he'll be back for a while."

"Why's that?" The halfa asked raising a single brow at her.

"He didn't say." Sam shrugged as she loaded Danny into the Speeder with Tuckers help. His wheel chair was folded up and tucked behind the seat.

It was such a strange feeling to have his friends lifting him for once. Normally Danny was the one doing all the hard work. But from a wheelchair, that was kind of out of reach.

A lot of things would be out of reach.

At least for now.


	24. Box Lunch

**For those of you who don't like him losing his leg (and I know there's more than one, I'm not singling anyone out), it happened for a reason. It is a plot point and as weird as it may be it's not changing. Robo-leg stays. :D**

The trip was quiet, no ghosts seemed to get in their way or even look at them. Danny stayed slumped in the seat, his fingers wrapped around Sam's like she was his life preserver. He struck up a conversation with Tuck about that PDA he'd been given but it didn't last long. Tucker told him he'd have to show Danny how it worked later.

Everyone was trying hard to ignore the truth of the matter. They could have lost Danny, he was crippled and now they were trying to pretend like everything was normal. None of them had a clue how to deal with it. Should they be happy he was alive? Or sad that he was doomed to a wheelchair for... however long.

They arrived at the door leading to the Box Ghost and Lunch Lady's home and got out of the speeder. Sam unpacked Danny's chair and Tucker lowered Danny into it. Danny told them they didn't have to help him but they ignored him. They were his friends. They were going to help him whether he liked it or not.

Danny pushed the wheels foreward and rolled himself up to the door. He reached out to knock but it was flung open from the inside before he could touch it.

"WHO DARES TRESSPASS ON- Oh, hello, deary!" The lunchlady said turning from terrifying to sweet. She gasped when she saw the condition Danny was in, "Oh my! What happened to _you_?"

"Long story," The teens all said.

The green skinned woman shrugged and floated aside for them to enter. Sam pushed Danny in and Tucker followed them. Or, he followed the smell of meat. The entire place smelled like a steak. Sam wrinkled her nose but said nothing because she already knew what the Lunch Lady thought of her Vegitarian ways. And she certainly didn't want a repeat of that.

This lair was far different from the one Danny had found a few years back. This place actually looked like a house. There was furniture, a small tv, a table... Everything was square though. Nor surprising.

"Where's your... husband?" danny choked out, still slightly grossed out by the thought.

"Oh, he's in the back room with the baby." The Lunch Lady told him, "Follow me. I think she's asleep right now."

The three humans exchanged glances before walking after her toward a short hall way. At the end there was an open door and the sound of music playing could be heard. It sounded like Rock-a-bye Baby.

Danny was a bit shocked when he saw the Box ghost looking very calm and peaceful for once, as he held his small child in his arms. He was seated in a rocking chair and moving back and forth lazily. a dreamy smile was plastered on his face as he gazed down at the infant. Her name was painted on her crib beside him.

Box Lunch.

Danny smiled and wheeled himself over, "Hey."

The blue ghost looked up and actually gave him a genuine smile, "Hello. I did not expect company." He paused, "Well... Not now. We invited you 2 weeks ago."

Danny chuckled, "I over slept." He leaned foreward to look at the bundled up child.

She was sleeping peacefully. Her little eyes were shut and her tiny fingers were curled by her face as she sucked her thumb. She bad short black pigtails that hung off of her head just like she had when she came from the future.

"Aaw! She's so cute!" Sam sighed, clasping her hands together. she obviously still had that love for babies that she had during the flour sack project.

Box ghost smiled at her before looking back at his daughter proudly.

"I'm impressed," Danny said, "I've been here five minutes and you haven't even said 'beware' yet. Or tried to attack me!"

"It upsets the baby when we yell." The proud father said as he bounced Box Lunch gently.

"Besides, we wouldn't want to scare you off. You're the only ones who showed up," The lunch lady said with a sad smile.

Danny frowned and looked up at Sam and Tucker who both looked equally upset at the comment. No one else came to see them?

"You don't have any friends?" Tucker asked.

The married couple shook their heads.

"As it turns out not many ghosts like us." Lunch Lady told them, "But enough about that. Would anybody like a snack?"

"Yes please, "Danny and Tucker answered. Sam just shook her head.

The lunch Lady left the room and Danny turned back to the Box Ghost. He had to admit, the baby was pretty cute.

"So, how does it feel to be a dad?" He asked.

The box Ghost sighed, "Exhausting. She never seems to sleep when we do. " A grin formed on his blue lips, "But it will all be worth it when Box Lunch grows up to be the ruler of the world!"

Danny shook his head and sat back in his chair. Same old Box Ghost. Aiming way too high as usual.

"I don't know why you try to be evil," Sam commented, "It obviously doesn't suit you."

The Box Ghost frowned at her, "What's that supposed to mean?"

"You're not scary, dude," Tucker said bluntly.

Danny looked from the techno-geek to the wannabe villian silently. The Box Ghost just stared blankly at them for a while.

"I am so!" He finally rebuttled, "I just haven't found my edge yet!"

Danny shook his head, "You won't find that for a while, man."

Sam quickly made a shushing noise to silence them, "You're waking the baby!"

Danny looked down and saw little Box Lunch open her red eyes tiredly. She turned her head to look at him, having no idea who he was. Danny smiled at her and waved his fingers. The infant just stared in bewilderment.

"You want to hold her?"

Danny looked up at the Box Ghost, "Are you serious? You'd let me?"

The ghost shrugged one shoulder, "Why not?"

Daniel held out his hands almost nervously. He hadn't held a real baby in a long time. The closest thing was a flour sack a few grades back. He supressed the shaking in his hands as he took the baby. She wayed about eight pounds and was wrapped in a cotton blanket.

Danny held the child against his chest and bounced her carefully. Box Lunch yawned cutely and placed her thumb back in her mouth

"This isn't so bad," Danny mused with a smile.

"You'll make a fine daddy some day," The lunch Lady told him as she re-entered the room with a plate of cold cut sandwiches.

Danny's gaze remained fixed on the child. She was like a little ray of hope in an otherwise scary time. Something so innocent that even Danny's evil self would have smiled. Box Lunch was proof that even bad ghosts were capable of something good. Even if she was a crazy little thing.

Danny a good dad?

Maybe someday.

The three teenagers each held the child, each reacting differently. Sam thought she was an adorable little miracle and said how she wished she could keep her. She then told the boys that if they ever repeated what she had said she would choke them. Tucker on the other hand, acted like he would catch an illness from her. He was still creeped out by the fact that ghosts could have children. And by all acounts it shouldn't make sence.

After that they said their goodbyes and went home. Danny felt in a better mood on the trip back. He had a little of his optimism back and felt like there was hope for his future yet. and for a while he had forgotten his pain.

The arrived at fenton works to find that Danny's parents had taken advantage of the children's absence and gone to the store. All three of danny's parents. Maddie and Jack dragged Technus along with them. Probably to help them pick new equipment. Either way, at least the house was quiet.

Tucker checked his watch and realised it was time for him to go home. He gave his friends a quick hug and wished Danny luck and told him to get better. Danny thanked him and watched him go with a smile.

So now all that was left was Sam and Danny. The two went to Danny's room and Sam helped him onto his bed. She fluffed his pillow and propped it up so he could lean on it. while it was embarrassing, Danny kind of liked the attention.

He scooted over to make room when sam sat beside him. She put her arms gently around his waist and leaned her head on his shoulder. She wore a sleepy smile and hummed a tune quietly.

"Well, this is new," Danny chuckled as he put an arm around her.

"We've cuddled before," Sam told him.

"Yeah, but not with you in this kind of mood." Danny smirked down at her, "What's on your mind?"

Sam shrugged, "I dunno. I'm just in a good mood I guess. I'm just glad to have you back." She kissed his cheek lightly letting her head drop back on his shoulder.

Danny's eyes widedned slightly but he found himself smiling. He tightened his arm around her for a moment.

"I'm not going anywhere." He told her, making himself more comfotrable. It was hard to do with a big hunk of metal hanging from his leg, "First things first I have to learn to use this thing."

"Aw, It's not so bad. It makes you look edgy." Sam told him with half lidded eyes.

Danny laughed, "Oh, yeah. Nothing says 'edgy' like a wheelchair."

Sam laughed and held him tighter. She drew circles on his chest lightly. Danny's eyes blinked slowly, his body still very tired. He stroked Sam's arm idly as he stared at the opposite wall absently.

He jumped when Sam's hand dropped to trace the waist line. Danny looked down at her and she didn't even seem to notice what she was doing. She was apparently deep in thought. Danny flinched back when she absentmindedly played with the button on his jeans. He flet a very strange sensation inside him at the contact that he wasn't sure he liked.

"Impatient?" Danny teased, tilting his head slightly.

Sam cam e out of her trance and looked up at him, "Huh?"

Danny nodded toward her wandering hand and her face lit up red.

"Oh! Sorry!" She pulled her hand back quickly, "My mind wandered off."

Danny laughed and took her hand in his. "I think I know where it went."

He placed it back on his waist tenderly and pressed his lips to hers. She was caught off guard at first but she gave in to the kiss. She pulled him to her to deepen the kiss.

Danny inhaled sharply as he was shifted but the pain quickly went away as he was kissed again. Sam gripped his shirt like it was going to dissapere at any second. She clung to Danny desperately and pressed herself to him. Danny let out a deep moan as his fiance caressed him carefully.

He pulled his lips from hers as her hand found it's way back to the front of his pants. He licked his lips and swallowed nervously.

"You sure?" He asked her, knowing exactly when Sam obviously wanted.

She looked up at him with a serious expression, "Danny, I've already asked you to marry me. I think I'm prepared." She reached up to cup his face with one hand, "And I don't think I can stand to lose you again."

Danny smiled and took her face in his hands, "I've already told you this a million times. I'm not going anywhere."

"You promise?" Sam asked him, her violet eyes looking innocent and vulnerable.

Danny kissed her deeply and put his arms around her waist. As he pulled her over himand laid back on the bed he whispered to her.

"I promise."

**No, I won't be inclusing the aftermath of this scene because you all know what happens. I don't want to include it because I want to keep this rated T. (Not that I haven't already included enough violence to make it M) But it IS implied.**


	25. Morning After

**Not to be a pain in the butt, but ****WhatNooooI'mNotACONTRACTOR I have no idea what your review meant... I only understood about half of it.. But thanks for the review anyway :)**

**This chapter is a little iffy in my eyes. It's not horrible but it's not really fantasic. But it does have some plot points in it that I think I need to get out of the way. And if you pay attention it bridges the final gap between Danny being like Technus. It might be a little boring but bear with me. This opens it up to start a sequal later. It took me an entire day to write. **

Danny groaned as he opened his eyes. Whatever time it was it was way too early to be waking up. He turned his head to look at his clock but found that his eyes met with a pair of closed ones. He jumped in surprise then settled down when he remembered the events of a few hours prior.

Smiling to himself Danny reached up to brush the hair out of his fiance's face. Sam's eyes fluttered open sleepily at the contact. She smiled up at him and snuggled into his bare chest. Danny ran his finger tips over the skin of her back slowly.

"That was something..." Sam whispered agianst him.

Danny snorted, "Thanks?"

"Well, you two look like you had fun!"

The two jumped and whipped around to see Technus floating on his back next to the bed. He was reclined with his arms behind his head in a relaxed pose. Sam shrieked and pulled the blanket up to her chin to cover her self. Needless to say they were both equally red in the face.

"Technus!" Danny shouted, pulling the blanket over himself, "DOn't you know how to know how to knock?"

The master of technology turned his head to look at him with a goofy girn, "I did. But you were sleeping so I let my self in. At least your mother didn't walk in."

Danny looked back at Sam who was cowering under the blankets like the world was about to end. He turned back to Technus with a frown.

Technus laughed and perched himself at the foot of the bed, "I'm impressed Danny. You lose a leg, stay in a coma for a month and need a wheelchair but you can still put the moves on your girlfriend."

Danny groaned and put his hands over his ears, "We should not be having this conversation! You're my dad for crying out loud!"

"What are you doing in here?" Sam asked with narrowed eyes.

Technus shrugged, "Just thought I'd hang out with you two while The fentons were down in the lab. But I didn't expect to walk in on... this."

Danny's face was flushed red to the point of burning, "PLease tell me you didn't seee anything!"

Technus laughed and raised a hand, "Relax, kid. I came in after you two fell asleep."

That made Danny feel a bit better but it didn't make this situation any less awkward. His father was sitting in the room with him and his fiance, with both of them completely nude!

"Well on the plus side you wont have to wear white on your wedding day," Tachnus smirked looking to Sam finally.

The goth glared at him like she was ready to kill him. Danny was sharing a very similar emotion.

"You realise you wont be able to hide this from your mother forever." Technus said, his smile finally dissapering.

Danny frowned, "Why's that?"

Technus exhaled and stood again. He crossed his arms over his chest and stared Danny down.

"Because, _son_," Technus started, putting a strange emphasis on 'son', "You were born from an extremily fertile father."

Danny's heart stopped, "You don't mean-"

Technus shrugged, "Who can be sure? There's no way to prove the gene passed to you. You could take after your mother. But I'm sure that it only took one try with my... donation to get your mother pregnant."

Danny was about to say something when he felt Sam go limp beside him. He turned and saw her passed out cold on the pillow.

"Sam!" Danny shouted, turning to her and grabbing her shoulders. He shook her gently but she didn't wake up.

"Oh, calm down. She just fainted." Technus told him casualy, "She'll be fine,"

Danny rounded to face his father, "Calm down? You just told us that we might have a baby! Kids are cute and all but we aren't ready for one! I just turned 18!"

"I also said you might not," Technus rebuttled, "You two will just have to wait a few weeks and find out, won't you?"

This could not be happening. There was no way this was happening! Danny was not ready to be a father!

Danny gripped his head as his blood pounded in it. His blood pressure was spiking with every pulse. It was worse than any head ache he'd ever had it was full blown panic.

Danny's eyes clenched shut when the build up finally stopped and it seemed to release from hsi body. Technus was sent flying off of the bed and hit the opposite wall. The bedside clockk exploded and the lightbulbs popped in their sockets. Danny snapped his eyes open, breathing heavily.

He stared at Technus who was gaping at him in surprise.

A tingly sensation ran through Danny's body then. A feeling like he had gotten when he used that electrical power in the fight with Dan. Danny looked at his hands and saw green sparks running over the skin of his arms. He looked back up to his father who was slowly standing back up.

"What was that?" Technus asked with an obvious curiosity.

Danny shook his head, "I don't know. That's only the second time I've used it."

Technus then, much to danny's surprise, smiled at him.

"You're just like your dad," Technus laughed, "I wasn't expecting this though."

Danny gawked at Technus, "You mean I'm getting your powers?"

"Well, lets see..." Technus walked back over to him with his hands on his hips, "You invented your own thermos, you overshadowed Skulker's body and nwo you have electrical powers... I would say that's a 'yes'."

Danny kept thinking about that all day after that. Between that and the fact that he may have gotten Sam pregant he barely had any time to think about anything else.

Danny woke his fiance and they got dressed. He and Sam left the house while every one was busy and took a walk to discuss their options. Well, Sam walked, Danny rolled.

They went through the park together, getting halfhearted smiles from some of the residents of the city. They were happy to see that their town's protector was alive but Danny wasn't thankful for their pity. He was still the same kid. All that day people were trying to help him with things like rolling up a hill, grabbing things and carrying his own stuff. He felt so useless!

But with the other problem he was facing the pity was like a minor itch that would go away. If Sam was... expecting there would be no way to make it go away.

Eventually Sam took Danny to a bench and they sat there. It was a more seculded area where they could talk in peace.

Danny exaled and turned to her, "I think the real thing we should ask ourselves now is if we want to keep it should you actually be..." He couldn't even say the word. everytime he tried his mouth would go dry and he got whoozy. Sam had already fainted once from the shock and Danny wasn't far behind her.

"I'm not aborting it if that's what you're suggesting." Sam snapped, crossing her arms.

Danny raised his hands defencivly, "I wasn't saying that! I was considering.. adoption or surrogate parents?"

Sam pressed her lips into a line and looked away. She was obviously torn over this. Danny didn't really blame her. But like they'd been saying all day. There's no way they could do this themselves.

"I think... The first thing we need to do is wait." She said shakily, "We don't want to rush into anything we aren't prepared for..."

Danny nodded, "Right..." He took a few deep breaths, "How long do people usually have to wait till they know?"

Sam shrugged a shoulder, "Two to four weeks is what I've been told."

The halfa groaned and ran a hand over his face, "My mom will kill me if she finds out!"

"_Your _mom? What about mine? She doesn't even approve of me marrying you, let alone having your kids." Sam stated, crossing her arms.

Danny sighed, "Especially since we aren't married yet..."

Sam turned to him hesitrantly, "You know... We could always just get married quickly and pretend like we made the baby after."

Danny shook his head, "Our folks would never go for that. Knowing your mom she'll want to plan everything and who knows how long that will take. And my mom wouldn't like me rushing into it."

Sam groaned and placed her face in her hands, "We're idiots."

Danny had to agree. But how were they supposed to know? Technus left that little secret of his genetics out until it was too late. Danny and Sam were teenagers did the guy really think they would wait?

"We could always as Clockwork."

Danny's head snapped over to look at sam with wide eyes, "What?"

She looked up from her hands and turned to him, "Clockwork would know right?"

Danny mentally slapped himself for not thinking of that first. Of course Clockwork would know! He knew everything! That would help to solve this so much quicker!

Danny reached out and hugged Sam tightly and kissed her cheek happily, "You're a genius, Sam!"

She pushed him off of her with a smile, "How do we contact him?"

Danny smirked at her, "You think he doesn't know we're talking about him?"

Hell, he had probably seen what they had done the night before.

He looked around him and shouted, "Clockwork! I know you're watching, get down here!"

And on cue the violet cloaked ghost appeared infront of them in the form of a child. He looked indifferent as usual and danny grinned at him.

"You rang?" Clockwork asked dryly.

Danny wheeled himself up to the ghost, "We were wondering if you could telll us something."

Clockwork smiled down at the boy, his body changing to an elderly man, "You want to know if you will be parents in nine months."

Danny looked back at Sam who was blushing. With a nervous smile Danny nodded at the ghost.

The master of time chuckled and patted the boy on the shoulder, "Danny, Dannny, Danny... You know the rules."

The halfa frowned, "Come on Clockwork. You've let me see my future before."

Clockwork smirked, "Yes. But no future is definate. It can be changed."

Danny half dropped his eye lids, "I dont think something like this can be changed that easily."

"Another reason I shouldn't tell you." Clockwork said wisly as he changed to his middle aged form, "If it is destined to happen it will happen."

Danny groaned and ran his hands through his hair, "You are so difficult!"

Clockwork laughed in his chest and took his hand off of the boys shoulder, "You should know that by now, Danny. But you should know that I'm nothing if not helpful."

He looked up to face Sam. The girl slouched slightly under his gaze, clearly intimidated by the powerful ghost. Clockwork floated over to her, turning back to a child. He placed himself on the bench beside her and Sam shifted nervously to make more room for him. Danny turned the wheelchair around to watch.

Clockwork smiled up at her through his large front teeth, "Sam Manson, you are a brave girl."

The goth managed a smile, "T-Thank you."

Clockwork laid his staff over his lap and laced his fingers together, "I cannot tell you everything but I will tell you these few things." He then gave a more serious expression, "First, don't go out and buy anything for a girl."

"She's having a boy?" Danny asked with wide eyes.

Clockwork ignored him, "Second, should you decide to give the child away, find a good family for him. You would be surprised who you find looking for surrogates."

Sam and Danny exchanged glances but quickly turned back to the Master of Time.

"Third," Clockwork started as his age shifted once again back to old man, "Don't be shocked if your child doesn't have black hair. Both of your mothers have different colored hair. Their genes for red or blonde hair could pass to the child."

Danny nodded slowly, "I'll try and remember that..."

"So... In a way you just told me I'm pregnant..." Sam stated with a slight shake in her voice.

Clockwork nodded once but didn't actually tell her yes. By not telling her directly he stayed within the rules that the Observants had set.

And with that Sam broke down. She burried her face in her hands as tears began to slip from her eyes.

"Oh my god." She wept, "This cannot be happening!"

Danny rolled up to her and reached tout to put his hand on her knee. He turned to Clockwork who patted the girl on the back gently.

"I'm too young to have a baby!" Sam cried.

"Technically you aren't." Clockwork told her with a smirk.

It was true. Sam was older than Danny by a few months. And she showed it a lot of the time by being the most mature one in the trio... That seemed to be more of a due these days since something was always happening to pull Danny and Sam away from Tucker.

Sam continued to weep and shook her head, "I can't do this!"

Danny gave clockwork a pleading look that asked 'Please say something to calm her down!'

Clockwork smiled at him before turning back to the girl who's back he was still patting gently.

"Samantha," Clockwork said, turning back to his middle aged self. The girl looked up at him with a sniff, "You may not be ready for this child but it doesnt mean you can't do this. And there are many couples out there that are praying for some one like you to come along."

Sam wiped her eyes, "But... What if... What if it's part ghost? Would any one want it then?"

"You would be surprised." Clockwork said with a knowing smile as he rose from the bench. He turned to Danny, "I'm counting on you to do the right thing Danny. Whether it be to keep it and do your best to raise the child, or give it away to an equally loving family."

Danny nodded slowly, pressing his lips into a line. he didn't know what to say. He only really had two options. Keep the kid or give it away. But which was the right choice? Which choice would be best for the child and for He and Sam?

Danny looked down at the wheelchair he was placed in and dread filled him. What if he never got out of this chair? How could he care for a child then? He wished Clcokwork could have just given them a direct answer on what they should do.

When danny looked back up, Clockwork was gone. He had teleported out leaving Sam and Danny alone to solve this.

Danny sat there for a moment to absorb what just played the words Clockwork had told them over and over in his head. It didn't seem to sink in right. Something in his mind wasn't letting him believe it.

"A thought just occured to me," Sam said suddenly.

Danny turned to her, "What's that?"

"We really should have asked Clockwork where your evil self ran off to."

"..."

Dammit.

**Don't worry. I will deal with the problems at hand before I start centering the story around Sam. I won't overload you with too many plotlines.**


	26. Brooding

**Thank you for the reviews. More people liked that last chapter than I thought would. I appreciate all you guys/ girls have to say and hope you will continue to read untill the story comes to a close. And I have more planned. **

**I enjoy this chapter and I hope that you will too. :)**

The Ghost Zone was still. All were silent as time slowly moved foreward. There was not a trouble in the world that could have disturbed the ghost that floated there. He could think in peace as he drifted along, his eyes shut and his mind clear.

That is, as clear as one's mind can be with an endless ticking in your ear.

The ghost sighed and laid back and folded his arms across his broad chest. He opened his red eyes and stared up at the cieling of the citadel he was forced to reside in. WHen he was younder he had loved this place and would rather have been there than anywhere else. t was a place where answered lied and wisdom could be found. But now, it was a prison. A prison that would make Walker drool over.

"I see you've made yourself at home, Dan."

The mentioned ghost scoffed and turned his head to glare at his botherson companion. It was so much nice while he was gone.

"Go away, Clockwork," Dan said as he rolled onto his side to face the wall closest to him.

"Well, since you are in my home that is difficult." Clockwork answered with a smirk in his voice, "And what do I owe the honor of being graced with your presence?"

Dan shrugged, "No where else to be."

The once halfa pulled his cape around him like a secuity blanket. Clockwork really should install some kind of central heating system. This was one drafty tower.

"No where? What about Amity Park? I thought you were 'getting revenge on the little rat who ruined your life'," Clockwork stated, repeating the words Dan had used when he had broken free from the thermos.

"I'm working on it," Dan spat, remembering how his kill shot had missed and failed to kill the boy.

Clockwork laughed behind him, "Working on it, or giving up?"

Dan rolled his red eyes. The gall of that ghost. Dan Phantom _never _gave up on anything! He was going to get that kid if it was the last thing he did.

"You know... Starting over is always an option," Clockwork stated slowly.

Dan turned himself to face the master of time with a furrowed brow, "What are you talking about?"

Clockwork was floating on the other side of the room, staring into one of his viewing mirrors. He wasn't even looking at Dan but what reason did he have to? He knew everything.

"No one in this time period knows who you are, with the exception of Danny and his friends." Clockwotk told him, "You could always make a fresh start and do it right this time."

Phantom scoffed, "Please. If I wanted to do that I wouldn't be here would I? I don't need salvation I need revenge!"

Clockwork looked over his broad shoulder to look back at him, "Are you sure about that?"

Dan growled. Of course he was sure! He'd been sure for over three years! He wanted that little puke to pay!

Clockwork turned to him fully, shifting through his ages. Dan crossed his arms and stared back at the time master expectantly.

"Is this where you tell me some valuable piece of wisdom that's supposed to help me figure out what I really what, or some such nonsense?" Dan asked with half lidded eyes.

"Something tells me you won't listen if I do," Clockwork told him, crossing his arms as well.

Dan stared him down with a glare that terrified the ghosts in the world he came from. It infuriated him that Clockwork was the only ghost that didn't fear him. Clockwork made frequent gestures showing how unafraid of Dan he was, acting like the ghost was nothing more than a child. But then again, everyone was in comparison?

"Are you going to glare at me all night or are you going to tell me why you're really lounging about my tower?" Clockwork asked raising a brow at him, "I know it's not because you enjoy my company."

To be honest, Dan didn't really know. He'd been stuck in the thermos inside this place for so long that it just felt like home now. And no one else would take him. While clockwork was obnoxious, he was charitable. Dan had been staying in his tower for the whole month Danny had been in his coma.(Although, it felt like longer since time passed so strangely in Clockwrok's domain.) The two were practially roommates. Creepy, antisocial roommates...

"I'm just waiting it out until an oportunity pops up," Dan said simply, "You wouldn't happen to know when that would be would you?"

Clockwork chuckled, "You and your youngerself are definately alike. You both think I will just give you answers."

Phantom bared his fangs in aggitation, "Dammit, Clockwork! Just tell me what I want to know!"

The master of time was not phased by the outburst. He kept his humored smirk and continued to gaze at Dan with those all knowing eyes.

"You've lived with me in this tower with your freedom for a month. And even longer inside a thermos," Clockwork stated, looking at the building around them almost nostalgicaly, "You should know by now what my answer will be,"

Dan sighed, knowing hwo Clockwork worked all too well, "You'd probably tell me how there are hundreds of opportunities everyday that I could take, and I just have to choose the right ones... Or something,"

Clockwork gave him a smile and applauded him slowly, "Very good, Dan. You _can _learn."

The evil ghost growled and flew away and up into the rafters. He found his usual beam to rest on and perched himself there. It served as a tempoartly loft for him so he could escape from Clcokworks quips and banter for a while. This is where he was keeping the broken peices of the fenton Thermos so he could keep track of it. Last thing he needed was for Clockwork to fix it and suck him back in. Even when he left he always took a piece with him so Clockwork couldn't put it back together while he was out.

Not that he ever went anywhere.

Dan leaned over the wooden beam and watched Clockwork from a distance. To anyone who saw him he probably looked like a cat watching a mouse. But there was just something about the way Clockwork worked that compelled him to watch.

Dan's mouth fell slightly open when images of Danny and Technus appeared on the viewing mirrors. They started from their first interactions then went to what appeared to be Technus torturing Danny. Dan narrowed his eyes dangerously at the thought of being electrocuted by that ghost. How Danny got himself captured was beyond him.

Dan's gaze softened when the image changed to Danny, bruised and battered, being lifted gently into technus' arms. Vlad could be seen smoking and knocked out in the background as they flew away. Dan was almost saddened when he saw visons of the father and son sharing moments of tenderness and joy as Technus nursed Danny back to health and was even hugged by the teen. It was a relationship Dan was doomed to never have.

And that only pissed him off. Why should Danny get two dads to love him when Dan's parents were killed? it wasn't fair. If Clockwork could save Danny's family why didn't he save Dan's?

Images appeared on the screens of Danny running from his home on the verge of tears, wrapped in his fathers caring arms as he cried, getting a room at Technus' home and getting that silver ring from Sam when they were engaged. All of these things made a whirlwind of emotion shurn in Dan's gut. Parts of him wished he could have lived through those experiences himself. But other parts of him hated them and thought they were moments of weakness that only the feable would enjoy.

But none of those images prepared him for what he saw next.

He saw his younger self and Sam...

Were they doing what he thought they were doing?

Their cried echoed off the walls of the citadell and rang loudly in Dan's pointed ears. He was frozen from the shock of what he'd seen.

But as soon as the image came it went. No doubt Clockwork didn't want to watch that part. Dan almost shouted for him to change it back just so h could be sure what he had really seen. But he wasn't sure he really wanted to know.

Dan frowned and his eye lids fell slightly. He laid down on on the rafter an dleaned his head on his arm. He listened to the ticking around him andclosed his eyes.

Was this really his life now? what was to become of him after he killed Danny? Would he just fade into ghost society and be another average spook? Would he do to this world what he did to the one he came from?

It was all just so confusing.

Clockwork must have shown him those things on purpose! What other reason would he have for looking back?

Bastard.

Dan blinked his eyes slowly as he listened to what sounded like scremes of agony from below him. They were familiar but who...

Dany pulled himself up to look back over the edge. On the viewing surface he saw Sam. But not just Sam. Pregnant Sam. And she was giving birth.

"Push Sam! You can do it, honey!" Danny was telling her.

"AAAAH!" Sam wailed in pain as she pushed trying to force the child inside of her out.

Dan gaped, eyes wider than they had previously been. Danny and Sam had children? They were going to be parents?

Dan's breathing quickened as he watched the scene unfold before his eyes. Sam screamed, on the verge of ripping off the hand she was squeezing. Danny was there by her side, talking her through it. Dan was enraged and in awe at the same time.

Sam was having a baby! A real, breathing, living baby!

Dan shifted his eyes to clockwork. He was floating there, watching the images like it was network television. True, he must have seen things like this all the time but this was Dan's younger self! He could have at least had some kind of sympathy.

Dan's gaze shifted back to the vision as the screaming stopped, replaced by ragged breathing.

"You did it, Sam..."

Dan frowned as a small child, wrapped in a blanket, was handed to Sam. It was wet and pale. It had a small tuft of blonde hair on top of it's head. It's tiny eyes were closed as it crie and screamed. Sam bounced it and shushed it slowly. Danny put his arm around the woman and gazed down at his child fondly.

"He's beautiful..." Danny whispered, his eyes welling up.

Sam turned to the boy with a smile, "Yes. He is... They'll love him."

"They"?

Who was "they"?

Dan sat up straiter, his mouth open slightly in shock. The image dissapated just as Danny was about to say who it was.

They weren't keeping it? They were giving the kid away?

Dan clenched his jaw shut and growled out.

That was they're son! They were getting rid of it?

"Not if I have anything to say about it they're not," Dan hissed as he jumped from the rafter and sped away from the tower.

If Danny didn't want his son, then Dan would. After all, he was the father as well, in a sense. And if Danny wouldn't man up to raise the kid then Dan would take it from him. By force if nessessary.

That would be the ultimate revenge.

Clockwork looked back as dan flew from the tower. A smile came over his face as he watched the ghost go. As he anticipated Dan left to go after Danny. And as Clockwork also knew, he'd make frequent stops on the way, fighting his inner demons. As Evil as Dan tried to be and had proven himself as he was still a normal ghost on the inside. He had regrets and felt loss just as strongly as anyone.

He was just as rambunctious as his yonger self and every bit as naive. Eventually Dan would find out why he was alive and with luck, he would come to terms with it.

The master of time shook his head at the floor.

"Go on, Dan," He said quietly, "Do what you have to... Maybe then you will finally learn what's really important..."

**How do you like that? Your first Dan POV and Clockwork POV :) I think I like this chapter more than some of the others. And there will be more Dan POV to come. **

**And if you looked REALLY hard there are the tiniest hints of DanxClockwork in here. But just barely.**


	27. First steps

Danny and Sam debated for hours over what they should do. The argumanet changed from hours to days. On the fourthday of fighting over this they came to a conclusion.

They were still too immature to do this the right way. If their argument was going on this long, what else would they not be able to solve? They knew they weren't going to be able to handle a baby if they couldn't even get along over it.

The only option that would be beneficial to everyone would be to adopt it out. They would look in the papers and online to find a family looking for a baby. Sam, being how she was, kept trying to convince Danny go give their child to, what could only be called, Hippies.

He said no.

She huffed about it but she knew as well as Danny did that their kid would have no future there. They needed a modern, capable couple to raise their unborn son and take care of him.

So far they weren't finding anything. Anyone who seemed to fit their criteria was picky about what they wanted in a new baby. They seemed to want the opposite of what Danny and Sam had to offer. A lot of Couples wanted little girls instead of boys and the one's who wanted boys wanted to know specifics on the baby and it's parents. Far too specific. Danny and Sam had no way of telling them what color the hair would be or how much he would weigh. And the couple they talked to wanted an athletic baby from athletic parents. Danny and Sam did not fit the bill.

"We're never going to find anyone!" Sam moaned, placeing her face in her hands.

"Don't you have any goth friends that want a kid?" Danny offered up.

Sam looked up at him with a frown, "We're all about death and despair. Do you think a baby has any place in that?"

Danny sighed, "Great... Even the emotionally deprived won't help us..."

"I think we should just come out and tell your mom." Sam said sternly, "She'll be able to help us."

"Tell her what?" Danny asked holding up his hands to make an over dramatic statement, "Hi mom! Sam's four days pregnant and we only know this because a ghost told us the future! Can you help us find some one to take our half ghost baby?"

"You know the irony?" Sam asked a slight smirk on her lips.

"What?" Danny raised a brow at her.

"Vlad kept trying to make a half ghost son for himself and now we have one," She stated putting her hand over her belly.

Danny snorted and shook his head, "And he is the last one on the list to give the baby to." The teen exhaled, "BUt before we can do anything i have to finish up business with Dan."

"And you can't do that from a wheelchair." Technus said, appearing in the room and grabbing the handles of the chair, "Let's go. I have the backyard all set up."

"Backyard? What's in the backyard?" Danny asked trying to turn around to look at Technus as he was rolled away.

"Nothing. Just some equipment to get you back on your feet." Technus said with a smirk as he took Danny from the room.

"You two have fun!" Sam called after them.

Danny braced himself on the armrests as technus carelessly rolled the chair down the stairs. Technus had been doing that since he started working with Danny. The first time he had purposely dumped the boy. Well, he never admitted to doing it on purpose but it was pretty obvious that he had. Danny figured he was trying to see if Danny could get up on his own.

He couldn't.

Danny held on to the wheelchair as he was taken through the house and out the back door. He lookd around in confusion when he saw an entire gym set up in his back yard. Tons of equipment he couldn't use.

"You expect me to use this stuff?" Danny asked eyeing his father.

Technus laughed, "No. I expect you try using this stuff and fall on your face. I plan to record the whole thing."

Danny rolled his eys. Typical.

He shouted in protest when he was suddenly picked up under his arms. He thrashed his good leg and arms in an attempt to get free. He gasped slightly as he was tossed onto a tredmill. He barely caught himself on the rails.

Danny looked over his shoulder at Technus with a glare, "And that was supposed to accomplish what?"

The master of Technology shrugged and walked around beside the teen. He grabbed dany by his shoulders and pulled him up to a standing position. Danny hissed in pain as pressure was put on his right leg. But he held himself in place shakily. To make it worse the plastic under his bare feet, or foot, was hot from being in the sun.

"All I want you to do is stand here," Technus told him, "Can you do that?"

Danny nodded through gritted teeth as he held up his own wieght. With that Technus walked away. He called over his shoulder that he would be right back and went inside the house.

Danny grunted in pain as he stood there. He kept shifting his weight to his left leg and back to both periodically to try and make it hurt less. It still hurt like hell but it could have been worse.

Danny waited there for Technus to return. It had already seemed like forever that the ghost had walked away. Danny was getting to the point where he was so bored he was humming christmas carols. And it was no where near christmas! Infact it was closer to summer.

"We're back!"

We?

Danny turned back shakily and saw Technus with Walker of all ghosts. Danny narrowed his eyes suspiciously at them.

"Walker? What are you doing here?" Danny asked his boss.

The warden shrugged as he approached, "I haven't seen you in a month, punk. I figured you'd died or fallen off the face of the earth. The technus came to me and told me what happened and yout current condition." Walker paused and took a moment to look down at Danny's robotic leg, "Then i figured I sort of owed it to you to help."

"Owed it to _me_?" Danny turned his body to face Walker, "But I'm the one who owes _you _years in prison."

"Yeah but, I'm an asshole." Walker pointed out bluntly almost making Danny laugh, "I made your life hell and enjoyed every minute of it. I figured it was time I helped for once... Outside of the Christmas truce..."

Danny smiled at the white clad ghost gratefully. He followed Walker with his eyes as he walked around the halfa. He stopped at the front of the tredmill and leaned over the controls to get a better look at them.

With no warning he turned the machine on.

Danny yelped as his fit were nearly jerked out from under him. The streangth of his left leg was all that held him up. Luckily it wasn't going any faster or he would have flown off the tredmill entirely.

"What are you doing?" Danny asked, coninuing to hop on his left leg to keep himself standing.

"I said I would help. I never said I'd go easy on you." Walker told him with a smirk, "I want to see you jogging by the end of the day, you hear?"

Danny gaped in disbelief. He was already breathing heavy and Walker wanted him to _jog_? He was in a coma for a month and had been in a chair for like five days after that!

with any energy his legs had left Danny raised his right foot to take a step. He carefully placed it down in front of his left one and clenched his jaw at the pain. Working through it, he pushed down on his right leg and lifted his left one and took a wobbly step.

When his left foot touched down and his right lifted again a grin appeared on Danny's face. He did it! He was walking! He looked rediculous but he was doing it.

Danny stepped on the warm plastic again with his right foot, the appendage bening and straigtening where it was needed. This leg moved like a real one! If only he could control it like real leg.

Danny looked up from his feet to see Walker and Technus just watching him with identicle smirks. Danny furrowed his brow and looked between them.

In his distraction his right foot slipped underneath him and he fell. The movement of the platform under him caused him to fall off of the treadmill and lay in the grass.

"Nice attempt," Walker told him as he heaved Danny off of the ground by his arm and stood him up.

Danny scoffed and dusted himself off, "It didn't look like an _attempt _to me."

"Of course. All you could see was the dirt under your face," Technus remarked humorously.

Danny smiled at his father briefly before turning back to Walker, "I'm ready for a nother go."

The warden nodded and patted him on the back hard enough to push him back onto the tredmill. That was probably his way of helping Danny onto it. The teen gripped the rails as he moved his feet to keep up with the moving ground under him.

He didn't take his eyes off his legs this time. His left leg, as tired as it was was slowly getting it's streangth back but his right leg was slipping and twisting under him. It was a sruggle just to get it where it needed to be.

Apparently Technus noticed this also because he was cirlcing the teen and humming thoughtfully. He must have been taking mental notes.

"How goes the physical therapy?" Jack shouted from the back door, in a cheery mood as usual.

"Great dad," Danny replied, glancing up for a moment to Walker who was watching Mr Fenton intently.

The past interactions between the two made Danny nervous. Jack didn't know Walker was the cause of the attack on the Mayor and frankly, Danny wasn't going to tell him. Now that Danny worked for the guy it would reflect badly on him. Not to mention how ticked his dad would be if he found out walker framed his son.. or step-son, rather.

Jack walked out to the men with a large grin. He held out his had politely to Walker.

"Hi, I'm jack Fenton. I don't think we've been properly introduced," He said.

Walker looked from jack to the hand and back again before taking it.

"Walker." The warden said shortly. It was clear that walker didn't care for Jack and wasn't going to bother hiding it. Why would he like him? His ghost fighting equipment had been causing trouble for Walker's men for years. Not to mention Jack's obsession with tearing ghosts apart, molecule my molecule.

"Nice to meet you, Walker." Jack shook the ghosts hand roughly, "And thanks for helping Danny. You don't know how much Me and Maddie appreciate it."

"Ah, yes, Maddie. The competant one," Walker drawled with narrow green eyes, "Well, I'm always willing to help one of my own. It's the people against me that I hate."

Danny found that a great time to break up this conversation before it got ugly. He had to get some kind of peace between them.

"Y-You know, walker!" Danny blurted as he stumbled on the tredmill, "My dad was working on some ghost catching gear. Maybe you can convince him to let you use it in your prison."

The ghost and the ghost hunter both turned to him then back at eachother.

"That sounds like a great idea!" Jack bellowed, grabbing Walker by the arm, "I'll show you the Fenton Cuffs!"

Walker groaned and phased his arm out of Jack's grip as the large man turned to run to the house. The warden simply walked behind him at a liesurely pace.

Technus chuckled beside Danny, "You sure are something, Danny."

"What's that supposed to mean?" The latter asked with another near slip.

"I'm talking about your uncanny ability to solve every problem you're faced with," Technus stated as he circled his son again.

Danny shook his head, "Not every problem..."

"You and Sam still haven't gotten anywhere have you?" Technus asked quietly as if people were listening to them, "I could talk to some ghosts for you and see if any of them would want to-"

"That's okay." Danny said sadly, "This is my problem. I need to take care of this."

Technus reached up and touched the back of Danny's head lightly. Danny was surprised how far the master of Technology had come. At first he wouldn't dare touch another being out of tenderness. And now, while his emotions were still hard to read, he had no problem raching out to his son.

Danny was so proud of him.

"That's so sweet,"

Danny and Technus both whipped around to face the sudden voice. Danny jumped from the tredmill and landed awkwardly in the grass on his knees.

"You!" He spat, "Why did you come back?"

Dan floated above them, arms crossed, cape flapping in the wind.

He shrugged one shoulder with that same cocky smirk, "Unfinished business."

danny looked up at Technus who looked on the edge of full snarling at the other, much more evil ghost.

"If you want Danny, you will go though me." Technus warned.

Dan threw his head back and laughed, "I'm not here for Danny, old man."

Danny furrowed his brow in confusion. If he wasn't there for Danny then what other reason would he come back?

Unless...

Sam!

Danny pulled himself to his feet as quickly as he could and made a mad dash for the door. His feet stumbled awkwardly under him and he kept falling on the way. But he just pushed himself back up. As soon as he made it to the door to get into the house a hand grabbed him by the back of his shirt and lifted him into the air. Danny struggled as he was turned to face himself.

His older, much more insane, self.

"Hey, gimp."Dan mocked him, looking down at the metal leg Danny had aquired, "Nice."

Danny lashed out and tried to punch Dan in the head but his fist was caught in mid air.

"Don't get tough, kid," Dan warned him as his grim tightened on Danny's knuckles, "Not if you want junior to live through this."

Danny gasped and his blood left him.

Junior? Did he mean the baby? How did he find out?

"PLease, "Danny begged, "Leave Sam out of this. Just leave her and the baby alone, do what you want to me."

Dan frowned deeply at him, "You already got your break, Danny, "

He turned to look back at the window he floated in front of. Danny's bedroom. Just inside sam could be seen reading a newspaper. She hadn't even noticed them. Dan created a copy of himself with ease and the clone flew through the wall.

"No!" Danny shoted as he thrashed and squirmed for freedom.

The clone grabbed sam by the arms and lifted her out of her seat. She shrieked as she was tossed over the copies shoulder and phased through the wall to join them outside.

"Danny, what's going on?" Sam asked in a panic.

Dan laughed and sent a surge of energy through Danny's body. The teen screamed in pain and was dropped. He fell all ten feet and was barely caught by Technus before he hit the ground. Danny looked up to see the two Dan's fuse back together and shift Sam so hold her bridal style.

"Don't worry, Danny. I'll take good care of her," Dan said with a maniacle grin.

"NO!" Danny cried, trying to get up.

Dan reached out beside him with one hand and grasped his cape. With a dramatic twist he pulled it around himself and disapered in a very Vlad like fashion. The last thing Danny heard before they were gone was Sam screaming his name.

Danny stared in utter shock at the place where the two had been. She was gone!


	28. The Captive

**This isn't one of my longest chapters but I like it all the same. We get some drama and a bit of humor towards the end. **

"Let me go!" Sam demanded as she hit the large ghost on the chest repeatedly. She'd been doing this for the better part of an hour but was getting no where. One would think she'd have given up at this point.

Dan narrowed his eyes but kept focused on his destination. His captive fought agaisnt his grip in a pathetic attempt to get free. He had anticipated resistance so he put up with it.

He debated on whether he should take her to Clockwork's tower or not. she would surely recognise the place. But what would that matter? All it would do is incriminate Clockwork for harboring Dan. And Dan had no problem with that.

The big question was if Clockwork would allow him to stash his hostage there. He would have to keep her for nine months, or until the baby came, whichever happened first. After that he would toss Sam back into her glum little goth existance.

"Where are you takling me?" Sam demanded to know, "What did I do to you?"

"For starters, you're still alive," Dan said offhandedly. He hadn't intended to say it outloud but now that it was out in the open...

"That's what this is about? You didn't get your stupid future?" Sam asked with that 'are you serious?' tone.

Dan didn't answer her. His mind was still to busy desiding if he should make a new lair for himself and hide her there.

With a silent sigh he decided that Clockwork would be the best option. He had all the knowledge on how to deal with this kind of thing Dan was sure. and Dan was sure as hell not going to be stuck with this girl for nine months alone.

The pregnant teen fussed and whined as Dan flew through the Ghost Zone. She kicked and screamed loudly, obviously trying to get the attention of any ghost that might help her. But as usual, there was no one around Clockwork's tower.

As they entered the citadell Sam suddenly went silent. Dan glanced down at her and saw her look of saddened shock. The evil ghost smirked, happy that she finally shut up.

Flying to the viewing platform, Dan looked around for the famed master of time. Dan sat Sam down, knowing she had no where to run, as he glanced around them. He was around her some where.

"If I had known we were expecting company I would have prepared snacks."

Dan turned around and saw Clockwork floating about three feet away from him.

"Drop the innocent act, you knew I'd bring her here," Dan said with narrow eyes.

"Clockwork..." Sam breathed, getting the mentioned ghost's attention, "You're helping him? How could you?"

"I am not helping him," Clockwork told her making Dan frown, "But I am not going to fight him either."

Leave it to Clockwork to be anything but helpful to Dan.

"Clockwork, please," Sam pleaded, taking a few steps closer to the cloaked ghost, "Please do something!"

Dan reached out and gripped her shoulder tightly. He pulled her away from the master of time before the ghost teleported her out. Dan wouldn't have put it past Clockwork to do something like that.

"I'm sorry, Sam, but this is not my battle," Clockwork said to the girl, "I only allow him to use my tower so I can keep an eye on him."

Dan growled and looked away to glare at the wall.

Sam slouched her shoulders in defeat. Dan could feel her trembling under his grip. He looked back at her and saw tears starting to fall from her eyes.

Dan rolled his eyes befor adressing the master of time, "You have anywhere I can stash this girl?"

"What? She can't stay in the rafters with you?" Clockwork asked with a smirk.

Dan sneered at the other ghost in response. Of course she couldn't stay in the rafters with Dan. She didn't have ghost powers to save her if she fell off.

Eventually the master of time sighed quietly, "You can make a place for her to stay somewhere in the tower. As long as she is out of harms way."

Dan smirked and grabbed Sam by the writst, "Do I look like I would put her in harms way?"

It was a rhetorical, sarcastic question that Clockwork ignored.

"Wait! You're just gling to keep me here?" Sam asked as Dan began to pull here away, "But why?"

Dan exhaled as he walked, tired of her mouth, "In nine months you will have a baby. And to my knowledge you're just going to give it away."

Sam remained silent so Dan took that as a sign to continue.

"So I figured to do the _charitable _thing," Dan said sarcastically, "And take him off of your hands."

Sam's violet eyes widened fearfully, "What? Why?"

Dan gave a fanged grin, "What better revenge to get back at little Danny than raising his own son to hate him?"

The girl glared at him, "You'll never get the baby! Danny will save me before you ever see it!"

Dan chuckled in his throat, "Oh, I doubt that... How will he find you? He'd never even consider looking for you here." Dan looked up at the citadel around them, "And since all time stands still here, I highly doubt the specter Speeder could track you."

Sam ground her teeth furiously and jerked her wrist out of his grasp, "You can't keep me here! I'm human. I can walk right through these walls!"

"Go ahead," Dan told her with a wave of his hand, "See how far you get. It's not like ninety percent of the ghosts in here hate you or anything. You'd be as good as dead on your own. And a lot of good that would do."

The goth glared at him, her eyes still moist from tears. Dan simply watched her cooly, knowing she would break eventually. Under all of that dark and tough exterior Sam was weak like any other girl. She would soon enough submit to her fate and be a good little prisoner.

The two stared at eachother in silence for what seemed like an hour. FInally, Sam turned away and crossed her arms.

"You may share his genes, but you're not Danny," She said angrilly.

Dan frowned and grabbed her wrist again. He pulled her behind him to a far corner of the room. there was a large, secluded space behind one of the giant cogs that she would have plenty of space in. Dan shoved her to the floor and stood over her dangerously. Sam caught herself on her arms and looked back with fear in her eyes.

"Let's get one thing, strait, little girl," Dan began lowly as he kneeled in front of her to look her in the eyes, "I'm not your friend. I don't want to be your friend. And I certainly am not that fiance of yours!" He shuddered at the thought. His merging with Vlad seemed to get rid of all the crushes he'd had on the girls he'd gone to school with. "You are just a tool and if nessessary I _will _hurt you. So I suggest you keep that mouth of yours shut!"

Sam looked as if she wanted to say something and the look Dan was giving her dared her to speak. She oviously thought the better of it and closed her mouth. The goth scooted back away from him to sit in the corner.

"Good girl," Dan said as he stood back up, "I don't want to hear a peep out of you unless you're spoken to. Clear?"

The goth nodded quickly, pulling her knees up to her chest. With that Dan stomped away and back over to the viewing platform where Clockwork was waiting for him.

"You didn't need to be so hard on her, Dan," Clcokwork told him with a surprisingly amused face.

"What's that look for?" Dan asked eyeing the other ghost.

Clockwork smirked and looked away, "Nothing. Nothing at all. I just think it's funny what kind of traits you picked up from Plasmius."

Dan furrowed his brow, "Traits? What are you talking about."

Clockwork laughed quietly, "Well for starters, your plesant disposition,"

Dan scoffed at the sarcasm, "Next."

The master of time turned to face him again, "And I bet you didn't know that he was... playing for the other team."

Dan cocked his head in confusion... PLaying for the other team? what was that supposed to mea-

Oh no.

"He was GAY?" Dan asked far too loudly.

The master of time leaned away from him at the outburst and frowned slightly, "Yes. He was. Him liking your mother was his desperate attempt at fooling himself... However, when he merged with you..."

"Vlad turned me _GAY_?" Dan shouted in disbelief, "If this is some kind of joke I-"

"Dan, calm down!" Clockwork told him, while obviously trying not to laugh, "You aren't gay... You just don't like girls."

"I'm gay!" Dan exlaimed in utter horror, "Holy shit I'm gay!"

That explained so much... He did tend to like fighting the male ghosts more than the women... Dammit!

Sam laughed hysterically from her place in the corner. Dan growled and whipped around to face her.

"Shut up, before I come back there!" He demanded angrilly.

The laughing died down to a quiet giggling. Dan seethed and was ready to go back there and knock her out.

Clockwork put a calming hand on Dan's shoulder, "Relax. It's not as bad as you think it is."

Dan turned to face the time master, "Oh, sure. And you're such an expert in things like this."

Clockworks gave Dan a halflidded stare, "I'm an expert in everything."

Dan rolled his eyes and shrugged the ghosts hand off of him, "Stop touching me. It's weird."

"Wow. Maybe Danny's son isn't the baby here." Clockwork joked as he floated away from Dan, "Perhaps you should take a nap and calm yourself down."

"You're hilarious," Dan told him sarcastically as he lifted himself off of the ground to fly into the rafters.

"I know," Clockwork called after him, "But at least I'm not part fruit loop."

Dan roared in frustration as he fell onto the wooden beam. He grabbed the pillow he'd stolen from Clockwork and buried his face in it. He screamed into the fabric and feathers, trying to let out some agression.

Fuckin Vlad... He could always screw things up one way or another. He didn't even have to be around!

"Why does my life suck?" Dan asked himself angrilly.

"Because you're a nut job."

"SHUT UP, CLOCKWORK!"

**Slash haters should turn away now. I'm an equal opportunity shipper.**


	29. Gathering the crew and setting off

**Thanks to all for the kind reviews. And to those who don't like slash, don't worry I won't go to extremes with it. If you don't focus on it you'll hardly know it's there. :)**

**I drew some art for the story if you want to go check it out. This time the adress will actually show up transformer-wannabe. deviantart . com /gallery/30829031 remove spaces. You don't have to have a deviantart account or leave a comment but if you're interested have a look :)**

Danny Fenton was placed in his wheelchiar forcefully. He thrashed for freedom but his two fathers held him in place. He'd flown into a rage just after Dan disapered with Sam and nothing could calm him down. Walker was in the house contacting the prison.

"**I'll destroy that son of a bitch**!" Danny roared as he tried to tear himself from the confines of his chair.

"Danny calm down!" HIs mother told him from her place a few feet away, "Just tell us what happened!"

"Dan took Sam! I'm gonna kill him!" Danny growled as he tried to push his dads off of him, "Let me GO!"

The halfa's eyes were glowing bright green and his black hair was flapping from some supernatural wind. He was furious. More furious than he'd ever been.

Jack and Technus gave Danny a rough shove and held him against the back of the wheelchair.

"Calm down, boy before you blow us all up!" Technus told him in a shockingly agressive tone.

Danny seethed but stopped trying to shove them off of him. How could they possibly expect him to calm down? His future wife and child had just been kidnapped by the most dangerous ghost in existance! Calmging down was _not _an option at the moment!

"Now, how about you tell us what happened," Jack said trying to keep his son calm.

Danny inhaled and let it out slowly. It helped slow his heart rate a bit, "Dan, my evil alternative future self, kidnapped Sam to get revenge on me."

"Why would he take Sam?" Maddie asked with great concern.

Danny didn't want to say it but in this situation he didn't have a choice.

"Because she's pregnant with my child."

The world went silent.

"She's WHAT?" Maddie shouted, torn between anger and shock.

Danny flinched away from the noise.

"Danny you just turned 18 how could you do something like this to yourself?" Jack asked, actually sounding smart for once.

The teen groaned, "I dont know! It just happened!"

Technus was biting down on his lips, holding in a laugh. He found the sickest things funny!

"And what did you expect to do about this?" Maddie asked, putting her hands on her hips, "Neither of you have an income. True, we and Sam's parents have plenty of money but we won't support you forever!"

"I know that!" Danny snapped, "That's why we aren't keeping it! We're looking for a couple to adopt him."

"HIM?" Maddie's eyes widened, "You already know the sex? How is that possible?"

"The master of time told us," Danny stated blandly.

Jack released him and took a step back. The look on his face told Danny that the man didn't quite understand what was going on. Danny would have sat and explained if it were any other time.

Danny grabbed a hold of Technus' arm and hoisted himself out of the chair. The master of technology didn't stop him but instead helped him up. Danny shakily got to his feet and stood in front of his parents.

"I'll explain everything after I get Sam back." He told them as he took shakey steps toward the house.

"How do you expect to find her?" Jack asked, "You don't even know where to start!"

"I do." Walker said as he walked through the back door of the house, "I just got off the phone with Bullet. He says he got a report of a strange ghost exiting a portal from the human world a little while ago."

Danny nodded, his face tensed into a serious frown, "Then that's where I'll start."

"You aren't going in there without help." Danny's mom told him.

Danny shook his head, "You can't come mom. You don't have enough experience in the Ghost Zone."

"Then take Tucker." Jack added, "He's been one of your sidekicks forever now. And he knows how to work all that high tech stuff better than any of us."

"Hellooo. Master of Technology, standing right here." Technus said motioning to himself with slight offense to the statement.

Jack grined apologeticly.

Danny groaned as he wobbled on his weak legs, "Fine. Go call Tucker and tell him to meet me in the lab. I'll be getting ready,"

Maddie nodded and hurried into the house. No doubt she would also call Sam's parents to tell them what happened to their daughter.

Danny exhaled as he took a carefull step. When he didn't collapse he took another. He walked slowly to the house and into it. Technus and Walker followed behind him as he went down to the lab. Danny stumbled on the stairs but made it down the steps relatively okay.

Walking to a lab table, Danny gathered up some of his ghost fighting gear. He picked up the Jack of Nine Tails and shoved it into his backpack that was already conveniantly there. He also grabbed a thermos, the ghost gauntlets and a Specter Deflector.

"You sure you wanna go through with this, son?" Walker asked, joining the boy at his side, "I can send out patrols to look for her."

"Dan will wipe them out before they ever see her, "Danny told the warden glumly, "And Clockwork told me that I had to be the one to face this."

"But you don't have to face it alone," Walker added with a genuine smile, putting a hand on the teen's shoulder. He held out his hand with danny's badge in it. He must have been holding on to it while Danny was out of commission.

Danny smiled and took the badge. He turned to the far wall and saw his uniform hanging in a case. His mom had made that for him the first day on the job and that was where it ended up after it was cleaned. To look at it made Danny feel proud. It was like a trophy to his family.

Walking over to the case, Danny opened the glass. He pulled the vest off of it's hanger and slipped it on. He pulled it closed and snapped the belt on around it. Turning to face the other ghosts, he pinned his badge on. He smiled poudly at them.

Danny clenched his fists in inhaled. Energy rushed through him as he summoned up his ghostly power.

"I'm goin ghost!"

His transformation rings sprang forth immediately. But this time it was different. Along with the usual blue sparks of green electricity spiraled around him. The rings moved over his body and he changed into Danny Phantom.

An interesting new sensation filled him as he changed. His body tingled and his hair waved from the static caused by the electricity. It was like a gentle wind was blowing through it. Was it a side effect of his new power? He hadn't gone ghost since he got it so it was possible.

"Whoa.." Technus said, pulling his sunglasses down to look over them as if he thought they were playing tricks on him.

Danny looked down at himself and saw that the white of his suit had taken on an ineresting green color ang glow. His cape flapped behind him for the same reason as his hair. He gasped when he saw that his prosthetic leg had also changed to fit his look. The metal became a shiney silver with green energy coursing through the wires giving it a glow of power.

Danny thought for a moment then willed his right foot to move. And to his awe, it did. The toe of the appendage lifted and dropped back down on command.

His ghost powers upgraded the leg! Not to mention the weird effect the electricity must have had on it.

"He takes after you." Walker said flatly, looking beside him at Technus.

The master of technology fixed his shades, "You have no idea."

Danny beamed at them and walked back over, "This might not be as bad as I thought."

"So, as soon as your friend get's here, we're leaving?" Walker asked, crossing his arms.

"We?" Danny asked, "Don't you have a prison to look out for?"

"Yes. But if this ghost is as bad as you say I want to be there when we bring him in." Walker drawled, "I've got some empty cells I need filled that I'm sure he'd be perect for."

Danny smirked at the warden, "You haven't changed a bit." He turned to Technus, "And you're sure you want to come?"

Technus nodded once, "I have a few words I want to say to that boy,"

"Danny!"

The three ghosts turned as Tucker came rushing down the stairs. The Techno geek raced up t ohis friend, panting and wheezing.

"I came... As soon as I found out!" Tucker breathed. He looked Danny up and down slowly, "Cool new look."

"Thanks, Tuck," Danny said patting his tired friend on the shoulder, "grab as much gear as you can carry. I'll go get us some food for the next few days."

"Few days?" Tuck asked standing up straight, "How long do you think this will take?"

"No idea. But it doesn't hurt to be prepared," Danny said as he grabbed his back pack. He tossed it into the Specter Speeder. Then a thought occured to him, "Technus..."

"Yes?"

Danny turned to face his father slowly, "Sam told me that you didn't think Dan would come back for a while... What made you think that?"

The master of technology frowned a bit and sighed, "Because of the look he gave me after he attacked you. When he saw me pick you up he looked... broken. I don't know exactly how to explain it but he obviously didn't know what to think. After all, he _is _you. And you didn't accept me at first either."

"You thought he would avoid you." Danny said as more of a statement than a question.

Technus half shrugged, "You did at first. And it seemed to hold true untill he some how found out Sam was pregnant,"

"Which better have happened after you turned eighteen," Walker pointed out sternly. A sticlar for the rules as usual.

"Wait, Sam's pregnant?" Tucker asked, stopping in mid grab for another deivice to put in his backpack, "When did this happen?"

"A few days ago." Danny told his best friend flatly, "But that isn't the point. How could Dan have found out?"

"Well you are the same person. Maybe you have some kind of mental link?" Walker offered, "I've never heard of it happening before but I've also never heard of someone's evil self from the future coming back to ruin thier life."

Danny sighed, "It's possible I guess. Only one way to find out. We go in there and track the bastard down."

The teen started to walk to the steps to go get food when a large back was placed in front of his face. danny blinked at it before taking it. He saw his Mom standing there smiling at him proudly.

"I heard you talking and got your food ready," She told him, "And I decided that you need all the help you can get, so I'm coming too. Regardless of how much experience I have. Your father wanted to come but I told him that he needs to stay here and 'guard the house'."

Danny gaped at her. He smiled at her, knowing he'd never be able to convince her otherwise.

"Welcome aboard then." Danny said, reaching out to hug his mom. Electricity jumped between them at the contact, making her hair frizz up.

Maddie shook her head and stepped away from him, "You are going to have to learn to control that though."

Danny chuckled lightly and took the bag to the vehichle. He placed it inside against in a refridgeration unit Jack liked to use for snacks while working in the lab. Who would have thought Danny's dad's obsession with fudge would ever come in handy?

"Everyone ready?" Danny asked, turning to the group.

He got assorted nods and positive replies in response. It was so strange to think that two of his enemies were now going to help him get back his fiance. Sam had been one of the key factors in their ddownfall many times. One would think they would hate her.

Good things must come from diplomacy after all.

That and awkward family ties.

Evryone loaded into the speeder. The three humans got to sit inthe seat while the ghosts loaded in behind them to sit on the floor. The portal was opened and they jetted off into the Ghost Zone.

Danny glared out the wind shield with a determination unlike any he'd ever had. This time Dan had gone way too far. If that ghost harmed one hair on Sam's head or even thought about doing anything to the baby, Danny would show him what Hell was really like.

'Hold on, Sam," Danny thought, 'I'm on my way.'

**Dum Dum DUM!  
>And guess what!<strong>

**That's the end of part one of this story! Part two will be started as an all new story as to keep this one from getting too long. :) **

**It will be titled, "Battle for the Baby" and will consist of the nine month period before the baby is born. It will also bring a new character into the mix. Who? Well, it wouldn't be a surprise if I told you, now would it?**

**I hope you all enjoyed the first part of my story and will continue to read the second. I will have the first chapter up as soon as possible so don't you worry. This is far from over!**

**Thanks for the many reviews you all gave me for this. YOu guys are what inspired me to continue.**

**Till next time!**

**~Nut**


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